Elsa of the jungle: The legend begins
by M. B. Carver
Summary: A young girl named Elsa a is abandoned in the jungle after a fatal plane crash. She later is found by a now childless Lioness named Diata who takes Elsa into the pride raising her to be her own. Elsa grows up in the wild jungle with her two friends, Simba and Nala. She then meets a boy named Jack, and along with him, a great danger to her jungle home.
1. Chapter 1

**Elsa the girl cub**

Dark storm clouds filled the night sky above the African Jungle on the earth below. Endless drops of their tear descend to the dense tropic forest below. Roars of thunder and are followed by strikes of lightning flashes. Sheltered deep within a stone cave and slumbering in the shadows inside, was a pride of lions.

On a stone platform, a large male lion sleeps right next to his mate and cub. Down below were several lionesses and cubs deep in their dreams. That is, all but one white fur lioness lies awake on the rock surface underneath her. Outside was a dark stormy night, the constant fall of rain and the loud growls of the dark clouds. The lioness felt such sorrow having to suffer a great loss, her own cub.

During the day, her cub wandered deep into the jungle, alone. She was curious and explored deep into the jungle. By the time she noticed her cub her cub was missing she heard her voice, calling for her. The lioness rushed to find her cub, but it was far too late. She heard the dying scream. Even now she can still hear her, screaming for help. She cringed trying to forget the memory, but she still found it hard to let go. All she wanted was to have her cub at her side.

Throughout the night, she continued to ponder. Slowly the roar of thunder and the drops of rain disappeared. The sun's light began to peek into the cave entrance. The lioness lifted her head to look to the cave entrance. The morning had come and the storm had long past. The lioness raised he head up from her paws and gazed out to the open mouth of the cave. She frowned on being in a day and her cub was not given a chance of life. She got back up on her four paws and walked toward the entrance. She came outside, facing the jungle ahead of her. She needed time, away from the pride.

"Diata." a voice called.

Diata looked back to see Mufassa, the honourable and beloved king of the jungle and leader of the pride. He was aware of the death of her cub and wanted to help her through this grieving time.

"Where are you going?"

Diata turned her head from Mufassa and left him without an answer. There wasn't any particular place that she

"Diata, I have the deepest sympathy for your cub," Mufassa said.

"I know it's hard but you must look past this."

"Mufassa, I appreciate what you are trying to do for me." she said, looking to the lion king.

"But I must be alone."

Mufassa gave a soft sigh and narrowed his eyes.

"Very well," Mufassa said looking up to her.

"Do what you must."

"Thank you." she said before she walked toward the tropical forest.

Mufassa watched as the lioness walked into the jungle. He knew she wasn't taking this well. He wanted to help her, but there was not much that he could do. Diata's pain could not be healed so easy.

As the morning deepened, Diata continued to wonder westward of the jungle, passing the many of the animals.

She thought about nothing more than the sort time she had with her daughter. The small cub she loved so much, no longer walking with her. She was no longer lying on her side at night or to play with every day. It was all taken away. But things were about to change for her.

As the lioness walked along, she looked up ahead of her and saw a tree laying on the path she was on, blocking her way. She looked to her left and saw a trail of fallen trees and a trail of wrecked grounds. She thought to herself, what could have done this?

The lioness turned and began to follow the path of destruction. She stepped over fallen branches of fall trees, till she suddenly came across something she had never seen before. It was a giant, white bird lying dead on the ground. Its back was split into two, the glass windows were smashed and the wings torn from its sides. The lioness slowly crept toward the strange bird. She looked to its sides observing such a beast. She came up to the split back.

She then looked right and then stopped. There was the noise of crying to her left. She gazed over and the noise coming from behind a tree's corner. The lioness slowly and hesitatively peered around the tree and was met with such a strange sight. She saw a small girl cub, lying on one of the two dead bodies, crying. One was the body of a man with light brown hair; the other was the body of a woman with dark brown hair. They both lay on the ground without a hint of motion.

The small young seven-year girl with ice blond hair, blue eyes, wearing a blue dress, continued to sob. The lioness looked down at the child. The two dead humans must have been her parents. She was all alone now and was vulnerable to other predators. She felt sorry for the small human cub.

The white lioness came closer to the girl. She lowered her head down and then nudged the female human cub. The girl turned to look and gasped. She backed away to the side a bit.

"Please, don't eat me!" she cried.

"It's okay little one, I won't hurt you," Diata reassured the girl.

The girl became so shocked and even more frighten. The lioness had just spoken to her.

"You can talk?" the girl asked.

Diata nodded. The girl was both amazed and shocked. She could talk to animals, how is that possible?

"Are you going to eat me?" the girl asked seeing as how this was a lioness she was talking to.

"No, I won't," Diata reassured.

The girl was still so hesitative. She wasn't sure if the lioness was telling the truth or not. Fortunately, for her Diata was of no mindset to conflict harm upon her. The lioness took a step closer to the frighten girl cub. Elsa tried to resist the urge to react in her fear. But she found the strength to keep it under control.

The little girl cub slowly reached her hand out to the lioness. She paused halfway as Diata looked. The lioness was aware of what Elsa wanted to do. She wanted for her to feel safe in her presence. Diata lowered her head down and gently pressed it against the girl palm.

Elsa gave a small and slight gasp as she felt the lioness`s fur under her palm. Diata raised her head back up, looking to the young girl cub. Elsa then began to pet the white lioness, her small hand stroking the fur on her head. Diata shut her eyes and gave a soft purr, the lioness sat down before Elsa. The little girl began chuckling as continued petting Diata.

"You're really pretty," said Elsa, complementing the lioness`s white fur.

"Why thank you." said Diata.

Diata raised her head up as Elsa. The bleached blond girl took her hand back.

"What's your name, little one?" the white lioness asked curiously.

"Elsa." The girl answered.

"Hello, Elsa," said the lioness.

"My name is Diata."

"It's nice to meet you Diata." said the young girl.

Diata nodded in agreement.

"It's nice to meet you too." said the white lioness.

"What are you doing out here in the jungle?"

Elsa herself had little an answer for that. She herself didn't know why she was in this lush jungle. It was not her intention to be here, not her doing.

"I... don't know," She answered.

"Do you remember anything at all?" asked Diata.

Elsa could barely think of what happened. Though she could recall small fragments memories that could tell her what happened before. Those memories revealed of her parents, panicking, her mother holding her close as the plane flew downward with the sounds of thunder and the flashes of lighting.

The final thing she could remember was her father looking to her and her mother. The last expression she saw on his face was one she had not seen him make before. It still lingered in her mind. Diata looked upon the girl's face, to be met with eyes of confusion and also sadness. For what the reason this was, the answer stood behind the girl. Diata gazed back up to the bodies that lied motionless on the ground. She saw Elsa was moaning over them just a short time ago.

Elsa looked at the bodies behind her. Her happiness then faded away and sadness and grief returned.

"Were those your parents?" asked Diata as she turned to the girl

Elsa nodded her head, before narrowing it downward. Closing her young blue eyes as tears began to emerge.

"Yes," She said.

Elsa began to sob. Her parents were killed in the crash of their plane during the storm, leaving her all alone. Diata looked to Elsa and saw the poor girl-cub in so much pain and loss. The lioness frowned, feeling so remorse for the girl cub.

"Hey, hey." Diata said coming up and sat down beside the girl.

Her white lioness reached out with her right paw and brought the child close to her.

"Shh, there, there." Diata said softly and in the tone of that of a mother, comforting the little girl.

"It's Okay... It's Okay. I'm here for you."

Elsa lay against the lioness's chest, crying. She buried her face in the lionesses white fur. Diata gazed down at the young seven-year-old girl. Diata had such sympathy for Elsa; such a poor little cub lost the people she had loved. It was a similar factor to be known on her part as well. With the death of her previous cub, Diata came to see that she and this young child of man had but suffered the same loss.

Diata looked up to the two deceased parents of Elsa. Her family was gone and without them, this girl cub would never make it. Not out here. Elsa looked up to the lioness. Diata looked back at her. Elsa continued to stay close to her, pressing her head up against her chest. Elsa needed help from someone out in this jungle wilderness. But most of all, the girl needed a family. But there was no place for her to go, nobody for her to be with.

That is, with the exception of her. The white lioness knew it to be her. It was she that found this girl. Who bared such feelings of sympathy for a cub that was not of her own kind. Diata knew her own heart told her that needed to be the guide of Elsa. She knew that Elsa was her responsibility now, she needed her and Diata needed Elsa as well.

Diata parted from Elsa and faced the now orphan cub.

"Elsa," Diata said in a whispering tone.

The little girl cub looked up to Diata, gazing into her blue eyes. Diata looked back to the small seven-year-old girl, a cub so young and full of such innocence.

"I know your loss is so great for someone as young as you. But I'm going to help you through this."

Elsa's cheeks were wet with tears, and there was still that frown upon her face. But yet, there appeared something in the girl's eyes, some hope. For now, there came help to her. A new chance had been given to her.

"The jungle is not a place for you to be alone here." Diata explained.

"You need a people to survive."

"But there are no people here." said Elsa, knowing that there was no other people.

The white lioness bowed her head. The presence of her kind was a number that was far less than the jungle folk. There was none to be seen from miles around. However the lioness was not of that thinking. Instead, she wished for this cub to be cared for by her guidance and love.

"That is why I would like you to come with me." said the white lioness.

"I would like to take you to my pride. We live just east from here and you'll be safe with us."

The lioness backed up a bit and crouched down.

"Here, climb on."

Elsa hesitated a bit. She knew that Diata was a lion and that the same goes for her family. But she would be safer there then out her by herself. Elsa came up to the lioness and climbed up on her back. As soon as she settled, Diata came back up. She looked back to Elsa, who sat upon her back.

"You okay back there?" She said.

Elsa nodded her head yes.

"Alright, hang on."

Diata began to walk back the way she came, taking the child with her. As the two left the crash site, Elsa then gave one last looked back at the sight of the crashed plane. The last time she would ever see it again.

"Goodbye mama, papa." she said in a whispering voice.

Elsa then turned forward, now beginning a new life in the jungle.


	2. Chapter 2

Atop the white lionesses back, her new found cub sat atop of her as they journeyed to the lion's layer. They were now far from the crash site of the now plane wreck and deep within the jungle. As Diata continued to walk along, she took a glance back to Elsa. The girl was sitting in complete silence, here head was bowing downward and a frown was upon the girls face.

Diata gazed with sympathy of the cub's experience of sorrow from the loss of her parents. She knew very well of what it felt like when one losses someone as dear to them. The death of her cub was an experience that was too excruciating to endure. She hoped that her new home here in the jungle would be a new start for the girl. Diata turned and looked forward. However she suddenly ceased to move any further. Upon stopping, the young girl gazed up to the white lioness.

Diata stood pondering over the possibilities that would be against her desire for Elsa to stay with her. The biggest concern was if they wouldn't accept her. She couldn't fathom what would be the conclusion of that choice. She couldn't bear to see what would happen. She hadn't saved Elsa for her to just be abandoned again.

Elsa stared down to the white lioness. She was curious of her sudden stop of their journey. However as she pondered, it was then she heard the girl atop her back speak a word that was so assumed lost to her.

"Mama?"

With a single moment, she was released from her thoughts and gazed back to the girl-cub. She stared in such shock and surprise at what she had heard. They had just met what was a short time ago and already she had just considered her to be her mother.

"Mama whats wrong?"

For a short time, Diata was silent until taking the chance to speak up.

"I'm alright, Elsa." She responded.

"Can I call you...?"

Diata knew what wa sthe girls question. She nodded her head to the girl. She loved for her to consider her that, as the female guardian of her.

"Of course you may." She said softly.

Elsa smiled. While it was the first time for them to have come to meet, she had already considered the lioness to be her mother. As the two stared to one another, Diata felt the need to try. To gain the answer that she ever so longed to have, for Elsa to be her daughter. The future was un clear with the answer. But she was willing to try for Elsa.

Diata turned back down the way.

"We're getting close." She said, knowing her home was nearby.

Diata continued on their way to the lion's den.

Meanwhile far back to the cave, the lionesses and their cubs were lying outside the cave and under the hot sun above. Among them was Mufassa who waited for Diata to return. He was worried about her. She was so affected with the death of her cub. Just then, Sarabi, the mate and queen of Mufassa came out of the cave.

Sarabi was like any other queen lioness that came before her. She ruled with honour and love. She was a kind and loving mother to their young and adventurous son, Simba. He was already out playing with his friends in the jungle as always.

Sarabi looked over at her husband. He was looking so concerned about something. The lioness walked up to her mate and sat at his side.

"Mufassa?" she asked.

Mufassa looked back to his wife, as she came up and stood at his side. The two nuzzled each other.

"Good morning." said Mufassa as they rubbed their heads together smoothly.

"Good morning, my love." His queen greeted back.

Sarabi departed from her beloved king. He smiled back to her, but only a short time did it last. He frowned as the thought of Diata returned to his mind.

"Why do you appear so troubled, Mufassa?" said Sarabi.

"I'm concerned about Diata." Mufassa explained.

"She's been deeply affected by the death of her cub."

"The death of a child can hurt a mother very much." Sarabi said.

"It's a pain that takes time to be healed. You must let her sort it out herself."

Mufassa sighed knowing she was right. This was not a simple accident, but the loss of an early life. It couldn't be forced for her to move on, only time could heal the wound. Sarabi narrowed her eyes. She then shifted away before she took a look toward the jungle. Upon the sight, the lioness was surprised, widening her eyes.

"Mufassa." she said.

Mufassa looked to Sarabi and saw her staring forward, looking so surprised. He then looked in the same direction and saw Diata coming out from the jungle with something on her back.

Diata came out from the line of trees and lush vegetation. She looked back to Elsa, she saw the young girl looking in awe at the sight of her new home. She gave smiled at her.

"Welcome home, Elsa." She said.

"This is where you live?" she asked curiously.

Diata nodded her head to Elsa.

"Yes." said Diata.

"And it's your home now too."

Elsa, who lay still sat upon her back, gazed up to what was her new home. There was a steep rock hill before a cave entrance above. There were several lionesses, lying upon the smooth, stone ground beneath them. There were several cubs along with them. The girl looked up toward the cave. There she saw a large male lion with a reddish brown mane and yellow fur. Right beside was a lioness with tanned fur. Both of them were looking down toward them.

"Who are they?" she said, pointing upward toward them.

Diata to where Elsa was pointing. It was then she saw Mufassa and Sarabi, who looked down at them. The white lioness knew that they were as surprised to be met with the sight of Elsa.

"They are the king and queen." Diata answered, looking back at Elsa.

"The king and queen?" Elsa asked curiously.

Diata nodded her head to her.

"That is Mufassa." said Diata as she looked back to them.

"And that is his queen, Sarabi. They both rule over our jungle and uphold the law. They help protect our pride. We as a pride are a family, we protect one another."

"We're a family?" asked Elsa.

Diata looked back to her new found daughter.

"Yes." She answered.

"If their king and queen and we are all a family, does this mean that I'm also of royalty?"

Diata nodded her head yes.

"So I'm a princess?" asked Elsa.

Diata smiled to her daughter.

"Yes, you are." She said.

However that wasn't entirely true, at least not at the moment. She looked back up to them. She knew that they would question her for bring Elsa here. It was the reason; she needed to present Elsa to them. Diata looked back to the girl cub.

"Hold on." She said to Elsa.

The white lioness climbed up the steep path to the cave above. Once they came to curving path above, Diata turned to face Mufassa and Sarabi. The lioness approached them, passing by the other lionesses around her. They all stared curiously at the human child she carried on her back. Elsa looked all around, feeling a more nervous than before. A few of the lionesses stood up and walked around Diata as she passed by, all staring toward Elsa.

Diata came before The Alpha and his mate, just as Elsa turned to look.

"Mufassa." she said bowing her neck to the king and queen.

"Diata?" Mufassa said, noticing the human on her back.

"What is that on your back?"

Diata showed a smile.

"Mufassa," she said proudly.

"I would like you to meet my daughter."

Mufassa was shocked. Diata had just said that she was now her daughter. Mufassa looked to the girl; she looked back to him with a bit of fear in her.

"Daughter?" Mufassa said as he looked back at Diata.

"I found her alone in the jungle." She said.

"And I've decided to take Elsa in."

"Elsa?" asked Mufassa, looking back to the girl.

"My name." the girl spoke up.

Mufassa became so surprised than before. The girl understood what he had said, how could that be possible?

"You understand us?" asked Sarabi.

Elsa nodded.

"Then tell me, mtoto." said Sarabi.

"Where are your real parents?"

Elsa narrowed her eyes and frowned.

"Her parents have been killed." Diata said.

Sarabi looked back at Mufassa. This girl cub before them had lost her family and would die if she was left alone. Mufassa then looked back to Diata.

"Were there any others?" asked Mufassa.

Diata shock her head no.

"She's the only one."

Mufassa looked up to the girl. There was no way to return her to her own kind and no one to care for her. The dangers of being without parents or anyone to guide her were clear to the Alpha lion. She wouldn't have a chance. Mufassa knew that she would be better off under the care of Diata.

Mufassa turned to his queen at his side. She looked back to him, knowing what he was thinking. He wanted to help Diata be relieved from her cub's death. Maybe this would be how he could help her. She nodded her head, wanting for him to allow her to keep this child.

Mufassa then turned back to Diata.

"Diata, are you certain of this?" He asked curiously.

The white lioness nodded her head to the lion king. She couldn't be more certain about anything in the world. She was now Elsa's mother and she needed her.

"I am." She said.

It was then Mufassa came to his decision. It was then he smiled at them.

"Then I will support your choice." Mufassa said allowing Elsa to become part of the pride.

Elsa smiled gratefully, filled with joy that the Alpha accepted her to live with them.

"Thank you, mister." She said.

"Yes." She said to the king, bowed her head before him.

"Thank you, Mufassa."

The lioness looked back to her new daughter. He nuzzled Elsa, making the little girl laugh. She was once again a mother of a child. The chance she pray for was given and this time, she wasn`t going to let it slip away.


	3. Chapter 3

The wound of Man

Many days and weeks had passed since Diata found Elsa and life for both changed so much. Elsa lived with her new lion family in the jungle, it became more like home. She still missed her parents, but Elsa was starting to become close to Diata and the jungle folk. She became friends with Mufassa's son, Simba and Sarafina`s daughter, Nala and many other animals.

One early morning deep inside the cave, Elsa was sleeping against Diata's side. She snuggles into her tan fur. So much had changed for her living in the jungle. He dress was torn and ripped, so she wore a blue loincloth in its place. Her icy blond hair was kept in a French braid like how she liked it. As the girl continued to sleep, she suddenly felt something nudging her.

"Elsa, Elsa wake up!" a voice said in a whispering tone.

Elsa moaned opening her eyes slightly. She saw Simba and Nala standing before her. They were trying to wake her up so they could go and explore like they always do.

"Simba, Nala." she said moaning.

"Come on, let's go." Simba said.

Elsa moaned leaning up off of her mother, rubbing her left eyes.

"Right now?" asked Elsa.

"Come on." said Nala, encouraging her.

"Don`t be such a sleepy head."

"Alright." said Elsa giving in to her friends.

Simba and Nala turned and began to sneak toward the cave entrance. Elsa crept along on all fours, following her two friends. They sneaked around the other lionesses and then came to the cave entrance, the three dashed outside the cave. It was still a bit early, the sun was rising over the far distance and the air was cooler like every morning.

"Come on, let's go!" Simba said.

The young cub ran down ahead to the jungle forest. Elsa and Nala came after them. As the cubs continued down to the jungle below, Diata appeared from the cave. She gazed forward to her daughter, Simba and Nala going to play in the jungle like always. She was a bit concerned about Elsa going off into the jungle without her. Ever since the death of her first cub, she's been a bit nervous about Elsa's safety.

There were many animals in the jungle that she could trust, like Hathi, Baloo, Rafiki, Zazu, Shara, Bagheera and Kala. They were more than happy to look out for Elsa. But she was deeply concerned about hyenas or even human hunters. Elsa was all she had left and wanted her safe. He couldn't bear to lose her like she did her own.

Meanwhile, the three friends raced through the jungle. Simba and Nala were in the lead while Elsa was far behind them. Elsa ran as fast as her two legs could carry her, trying her best to keep up with Simba and Nala.

"Simba, Nala, slow down!" Elsa called to them.

The three ran to a fallen large tree trunk. Simba and Nala jumped up on the log. They tried climbing their way up. By that time, Elsa came and leaped up and landed on the log. She pulled herself up quickly and then jumped into the air. She grabbed a vine and swung. She then let go and landed on her bare feet.

"Come on you guys, keep up!" she called back as she continued to run.

"Hey, no fair!" Simba called out.

Elsa had learned many skills from the animals. She learned from her mother the basic skills of the lions on how to hunt. She also learned to climb up trees and swing from vines from monkeys and apes. Having to look more like them, it was possible to do so.

Elsa continued to run through the jungle till she came into a clearing where there were gorillas nesting. One of them looked down to her from a tree above. She smiled at her and began to make her way down the tree

Elsa then stopped and looked back. By that time, Simba and Nala had already caught up to them.

"What took you guys so long?" She said giggling.

Simba and Nala gave a stern look.

"It's not funny, Elsa." Simba said.

"You cheated!"

"Did not!" Elsa argued playfully.

"Oh yeah?" Simba grinned as he pounced at the girl.

Elsa caught Simba and the two began to play fight. Nala joined in. The three friends laughed continuing to tackle one another. Just then, a shadow came upon them. The three stopped fighting and gazed up, only to be met with the unwelcoming eyes of the sliver back gorilla, Kerchek.

He stared down angrily, especially at Elsa. The three stared up, nervously.

"Hi, Kerchek." said Elsa shaking inside.

"What are you doing here?" he asked sternly.

Elsa tried to speak up, but there were no words she could find to say. Kerchek didn't tolerate lion cubs near his family; and that was also a rule for Elsa. Though everyone in the jungle was Elsa's friend, not many of them were happy to see the girl-cub. One of these few folks was Kerchek. Unlike Mufassa, he didn't take kindly to Elsa's presence. He knows what human were and all that they have done. Never did he look to Elsa like she was a part of the jungle.

Just then, a brown gorilla from above the tree had reached the bottom and walked over to them. She reached out and took Kercheks arm.

"Kerchek." She said as the alpha gorilla turned to her.

He stared back at the three cubs; he knew she wanted him to leave them alone. He had loyalty to his mate and would obey her in any turn. He looked back to her before he turned and began walking away. After he left, the female looked to Elsa, Simba and Nala.

"Hello you three." she said.

The three cubs got off of each other and looked to the female gorilla.

"Hello Kala." said Elsa smiling back at her.

"What are you three doing here?" asked Kala.

"Off on another adventure?"

"Uh ha!" said Elsa, nodding her head.

Kala was a kind, motherly gorilla. She was best friends with Diata since she was a cub and was kind of like a teacher to Elsa. When they first met, Diata came for a visit to her family. She introduced Elsa to Kala and the other female gorillas. While some seemed weary, like Kerchek, Kala saw it differently than him. She liked Elsa very much.

"Where are you off too?" Kala asked.

"Uh, down by the river." answered Simba.

"Yeah." added Nala.

"I see." She said.

"Do your parents know where you're going?"

The three cubs were silent for a moment. Their parents didn't know they were gone. If they told Kala, she would probably take them back home. Simba then spoke up.

"Of course they do." he said grinning.

Kala just chuckled. She knew very well they were lying.

"Alright then." she said.

"Come on, guys!" said Simba as he ran toward the jungle.

"Bye Kala!" said Elsa as she and Nala ran after Simba.

Kala turned her head and watch the tree friends disappear into the jungle.


	4. Chapter 4

Elsa, Simba and Nala continued on their race through the jungle. Zipping through the land of trees, leaping and jumping over and down steep paths. The young lion cub was in the lead. But Elsa was catching up to him. With the speed of her two legs she soon passed by Simba.

"Hey!" he said seeing Elsa run past him.

Elsa just chuckled, continuing on to the river. The three cubs then past by a family of four tigers, one of them was two years older than them. was laying next to a tree. The tiger raised her head looking to them. She smiled getting a great idea in her head. She then got up and chased after them.

Shara, the tigress looked to her departing daughter.

"Zarya, where are you going?!" She called to her as he stood up.

"I'll be back later dad!" she said back to him.

Elsa, Simba and Nala continued on racing to the river. Zarya chasing them had caught up to Nala and was passing by her and Simba. She came to Elsa's side. Elsa looked to her just as she passed by her.

"Better keep up!" she said getting ahead of them.

"Hey, Zarya!" said Elsa to the orange, black striped tigress.

The four then came into a clearing from the forest. There was a rushing stream of water separating the side from other. Zarya came into the clearing first. She stopped and slid a bit. She then looked to the jungle and saw Elsa, Simba and Nala come out from the shadows of the forest.

"Ha, beat ya!" she said laughing.

"No fair!" said Simba knowing that Zarya wasn't part of the race.

"Don't be a cry baby, Simba." said the young tigress.

"I was just having some fun."

Zarya was kind of friends of the three. She was the older daughter of Shara. She always like to get the jump on her friends. She and Elsa were good friends. They would play together allot. She was kind of like a big sister to her. A big, sometimes annoying, sister.

Zarya then walked closer to them.

"Where are you three going?" She asked curiously.

"We were just heading here to the river." said Elsa.

"Oh really." said Zarya knowing that these three are always looking for adventure in many places.

"What for?"

"Nothing in particular." said Nala.

"Yeah." said Elsa agreeing with Nala.

"Really?" asked Zarya giving a look of disbelief.

She didn't believe them for a second. She knew that they were all off to some place cool.

"Yeah." answered Elsa.

"You thinking of going on the other side of the river?" asked Zarya looking to the other side of the river.

"No, we're not allowed to cross the river." Elsa said knowing they weren't allowed that way.

The other side of the river was said to be dangerous. Any young cub who wandered alone in that place would be hunted by other predators or get caught in traps, set by humans. Diata was always weary of that place. She told Elsa to never go across the river to the other side. Elsa never planned to disobey her adopted mother.

"Come on, it'll be fun." insisted the young tigress as she turned to the other side.

"And where might you be off to?"

The young tigress stopped in her tracks. The four looked up to the trees and saw a familiar black leopard looking back at them. Begheera, the panther. He was a friend of the pride. He would teach the cubs the law and customs of living in the jungle. Begheera was also a friend and protector to Elsa. The panther leaped down from the tree and landed on his four paws.

"Uh... no where." answered Elsa.

"You better not be thinking of going to the other side of the river." Bagheera said walking up to them.

"It's dangerous for you four."

"What's the big deal about that place?" asked Simba curious about why it was such a big deal not to go over there.

"Yeah?" asked Nala.

"There are those would live in that part of the jungle." Begheera said knowing that predators of any sort would surely kill any cub that's alone.

"They will surely kill you if they find you."

"But my dads the king." said Simba seeing that they would surely not kill the cub of the king of the jungle.

"It does not matter." said Begheera knowing that they wouldn't care as long as they got food out of it.

"They will kill you either way. They don't care if you're the son of Mufassa."

Simba glared. He thought it was stupid that they couldn't cross the river just because people would hurt them.

"We weren't going to cross the river, Bagheera." said Elsa.

"We promise."

"You four shouldn't be here." said Begheera.

"Go back into the jungle, this is no place for any of you."

The four walked back into the jungle. Begheera watched as they went back into the woods. He gave a brief sigh.

"Kids." he said shaking his head.

**(That's all for now, I'll do the next chapter and have it up by Tomorrow. Till then, please comment and review)**


	5. Chapter 5

The four friends wandered back through the jungle, heading away from the river. They then came to a mango tree with countless mangos hanging from the branches. Elsa looked up at the many fruits above her. They looked so tasty and the very thought of them made her stomach growl.

She hadn't eaten for a while. She was so hungry; she wanted to have just one. Simba came up to the tree trunk and laid down pouting. He was so upset that they got caught before they could see what was on the other side of the river.

"Hey don't pout Simba." said Elsa coming up to the tree.

Simba just groaned in response.

"Yeah, it's not your fault that I beat you at the race." Zarya said.

"You weren't even part of the race." said Simba knowing that only he; Elsa and Nala were the only ones who were racing. She just came in at the last-minute.

"Don't be such a poor sport Simba." said Zarya just wanting to have some fun.

"Hey, I'm not a poor sport!" argued Simba raising his head of the group.

"Sure you are." said Zarya chuckling.

Elsa held her mouth, trying to hold back her laughter. Elsa looked up the tree. The wild girl then leaped up and grabbed on the bark of the trunk. She pulled herself up the trunk reaching her hands up and grabbing onto the trunk.

Elsa came up to the first branch. She moved to side and came onto it. She kneeled down on the branch and gazed up at a high one. It was so fat and juicy. Elsa stood up and reached for the mango. Her hand was straight up trying to grab it. But it was too high up for her. Elsa then stood up on her toes and got to the point where she could touch it.

Elsa soon took hold of it but soon lost her balance. She fell out of the tree. She screamed as she fell but upon landing, she felt herself land on something furry. She opened her eyes to see a big brown bear had caught her in his two arms.

"That was close." he said looking to her with a smile.

"Baloo!" she said.

"How's it going little El?" he said setting the girl down.

Elsa came down on her two feet as she slid out from Baloo's arms. The bear then came down on all fours.

"I'm alight." said Elsa looking up to the bear.

"Well that's good." said the bear, rubbing her icy blonde hair.

Baloo then looked to Simba who was still pouting about getting caught by Begheera.

"Hey why so glum chum?" asked Baloo.

Simba looked up to him.

"Nothing," he answered.

"Nothing huh?" asked the bear holding onto his sides.

"He's just mad because he lost a race." said Elsa as Baloo looked down to the jungle girl.

"Really?" said Baloo.

Elsa nodded her head.

"Well that's a darn shame." said the bear.

"Where were you guessing racing to?"

"The river." Answered Nala.

"Wow, the river?" said Baloo.

"Uh ha." said Elsa.

"I hope you guys weren't thinking of crossing over." said Baloo knowing what was on the other side.

"No of course not." said Elsa.

"We know about the animals over there."

"It's not just the animals you got to watch out for over there." Baloo said thinking of something even worse.

"What do you mean?" asked Elsa curious to know.

"There's something else over there, something that makes lions run for the hills." Baloo explained.

Simba looked to Baloo, curious as to what could frighten a lion.

"Really?" he asked.

"What's out there?"

"Man."

"Man?" asked Elsa knowing that she was human and never knew that her own kind was the most dangerous.

"What do you mean?"

"Man's a dangerous predator to animals." Baloo explained.

"Many of them hunt even when they ain't hungry. They take the fur, but leave the meat."

Elsa frowned. She never thought that humans would hunt for that reason.

"Wait, does that mean... I will?" Elsa said afraid that she will do the same as her own kind.

Baloo just smiled.

"No you won't little El." he said as he raised his paw up and rubbed the top of her head.

"You're not going to do anything like that."

Elsa still frowned. She narrowed her eyes having to hear her own kind would do such a thing. That was the reason many of the animals like Kerchek have so much fear toward her.

"Say, would you three come with me to the valley?" asked Baloo.

"They got some delicious berries there."

"Sure." said Elsa who loved to eat jungle berries herself.

"Ok." Said Nala as she and Zarya got up.

"Follow me then." he said as he turned and began walking while singing to himself.

Elsa, Zarya, Nala and Simba followed after. But Simba stopped and looked back the way they came. He wanted to know what was across the river. He turned back to the others.

"Guys." he said in a whispering tone.

Elsa, Nala and Zarya stopped and looked to him.

"What?" asked Elsa.

"Come on." He said as he turned and ran the other direction.

"Hey wait. Simba!" said Elsa, as she, Nala and Zarya went after the adventurous prince.

**(I hope you enjoyed, please comment and review.)**


	6. Chapter 6

Elsa, Nala and Zarya chased after the young lion prince through the jungle brush. Simba was so eager to find a way to cross the river to see what was on the other side. And like all the times he's done something like this, he was bond to get himself in trouble. Elsa was the first to came out from the jungle and back to the river. She saw Simba standing At the edge of the stream, looking for a way across. But there was nothing he could use to cross.

"Simba what are you doing?" Said Elsa.

"We can't cross the river."

Simba just looked to her with a stern look.

"Come on Elsa, it'll be fun." He said.

He then looked to his left and saw a fallen tree truck that fell over the river. It was long enough to reach the other side and it was wide enough for them to cross.

"Alright!" He said as he rushed over to tree trunk.

"Simba wait!" Said Elsa as she, Nala and Zarya followed him.

Simba came up to the fallen tree. He jump up and landed on the tree root. He climbed up and came onto the trees bark surface. He looked down to Elsa, Nala and Zarya.

"Come on, let's see what's on the other side." Said Simba.

Nala and Zarya came up and climbed up the tree root, but Elsa hesitated a bit. She knew what her mother told her about going over to the other side. She didn't want to disobey her mother. Nala looked back to her.

"Elsa come on." She said making the young jungle girl look to her.

Elsa looked to the tree trunk. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad to have a look at what was on the other side. I mean what's the harm in just taking a look. Words that would guide her to something familiar. Elsa came up and climbed up on the tree. She looked ahead to the other side. She felt a bit guilty about what she was about to do. But maybe it would be fine if they get back in time.

The four friends began to cross the tree truck to the other side of the river. Simba reached the other side he jumbled down to the ground below and turned to look to up to The girls. Nala came after and Zarya followed after her. The three then looked to Elsa, who came to the edge of the tree.

"Come on, Elsa." Said Zarya.

Elsa first looked back they way they came. She came this far, there was no turning back now. If his mother found out about this, she's would be so mad that she disobeyed her. Elsa narrowed her eyes. She looked back and then leaped off the tree. She landed on the ground on all fours, like a lion cub. The friends looked all around. It didn't seem any different then the other side was. It just seemed like the jungle land that they had live in all there lives.

"This place doesn't seem that bad." Said Simba as he looked back at his friends.

"Yeah." Said Nala noticing the same thing.

"I wonder what Bagheera was talking about. It looks safe."

Elsa was thinking differently than them. She didn't feel the same way, mostly cause they disobeyed their elders. She began feeling really guilty about the choice she made.

"I don't know." Said Elsa still a bit concerned and weary about this place.

"Relax Elsa." Said Simba looking back at her.

"We're not in any trouble. Come on, let's check this place out!"

The four friends went further into the jungle, getting further away from the boundary. The fact of danger and harm came to no fear to them. At least not Simba. But there was something else in the jungle, that was soon to be met.

Meanwhile, far from the river, Diata was wondering through the jungle, looking for her adopted daughter.

"Elsa!" She called out.

"Simba, Nala! Where could they have wandered off to?"

"Diata?" A voice said.

The tanned fur lioness looked up and saw Bagheera, laying on a branch above.

"Bagheera, have you seen Elsa?" She asked.

"Indeed I have." Said the black panther.

"I saw them last down by the river. They were attempting to cross over."

"What?" Asked Diata, her eyes widened. She couldn't believe for a second that Elsa would attempt to disobey her.

"They wouldn't. Do you know where they are now?"

Bagheera shock his head no.

"I'm afraid not." He said.

Diata began to feel concerned. She had already looked all over the area for them, they were nowhere to be seen. This was turning into the time she had lost her cub and if it happened to Elsa, she would never Forgive herself.

"Do not worry, Diata." Said Bagheera.

"They couldn't have gone far. Come I'll help you find them."

"Thank you." She said in relief.

The two continued on the path, looking for the tree friends, where ever they would have gone.

**(That's all for now, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. If anyone has a request or idea for this story, please feel free to share it. It would really help speed this story along. And as always please comment and review!)**


	7. Chapter 7

Meanwhile on the other side of the river, Elsa, Simba, Nala and Zarya wandered into the jungle. The river was far behind them. They could only hear the sound of the rushing stream which began to fade as they went along. Simba looked all around. It didn't seem as bad as the elders had brought it up the way they did. It was just like the jungle back on the other side.

"I wonder what dad was talking about." He said.

"It doesn't seem so bad here."

Not all of them would agree with the young prince. Elsa was still a bit nervous and uncertain. She never saw this part of the jungle before. Anything could be lurking in the shadows, watching and waiting for a chance to strike.

"I don't know." She said looking around for herself.

"Maybe we should go back. Mom might be looking for us."

Simba looked back with a look of disbelief. Through not really surprised at all. Elsa had to be such a scaredy cat when it came to things like this.

"Elsa come on." He said.

"Don't be like that. Nothing bad going is to happen."

"Yeah." said Nala agreeing with Simba.

"But what if..."

"But nothing." said Simba interrupting the jungle girl.

"Now let's go."

The young prince turned and continued to journey further into the jungle. Elsa hesitantly continued following her three friends. As the group of four continued through the jungle, little did they know that something was watching them through the cover of the vegetation with it's green sharp eyes.

Meanwhile, Diata and Bagheera continued to search the jungle for Elsa, Simba and Nala. Along the path, Bagheera looked and saw Shara and her two cubs laying in their den.

"Shara?" asked Begheera as he walked toward the den.

The tigress looked and saw the black panther and the lioness coming up to her den. Shara stood up on her feet and walked out from her shelter of leafless bushes.

"Bagheera, Diata." she greeted her two visiting friends.

"Hello Shara." said Diata.

"Have you seen my daughter anywhere?"

"Yes, I saw her, Simba and Nala pass by here a while ago." Said the tigress.

"Zarya went with them. Why?"

"We're looking for them," explained the black panther.

"But we can't find them anywhere."

Suddenly, there came some singing from behind them. They looked and saw the big black bear himself, singing to himself of the bear necessity.

"Baloo!" said Diata

Baloo stopped and opened his eyes.

"Oh, hey guys." he said.

"How ya doin?"

"Have you seen Elsa?" asked Diata curiously.

"Elsa, oh yeah." he said with a smile.

"She's right-"

As the bear looked behind him he saw that she, Simba. Nala and Zarya were not behind him.

"Uh, Elsa, Simba?"

"Baloo, where are they?" asked Bagheera as Baloo looked back to him.

"They were-" said the bear certain that they were right behind him.

"They were right here I could have sworn."

Diata became more concerned. Her daughter was missing and so was Simba, Nala and Zarya. They could be anywhere in the jungle.

"Come, we must follow their trail." said Bagheera as the panther dashed down the previous path that the three cubs had gone. Diata, Baloo, and Shara followed after him.

Meanwhile, the for young cubs continued exploring far from the river. They came into a small clearing that overlooked the jungle from below. Simba came and looked down over the jungle, astonished.

"Hey guys look!" he said, looking back at the others.

Elsa, Nala and Zarya came up and got a glimpse of the jungle below.

"Wow!" said NaLa seeing the great view for herself.

Elsa looked at the view of the jungle land below. It was wide and full of green trees.

"It's beautiful." She said.

"Yeah." Agreed Zarya.

The young jungle girl continued looking out over the land below, when suddenly hears a small sound of movement through the bushes behind them. She turned and looked back at the vegetation. he saw something through behind the shadows, looking back at her. The young lion girl turned and slowly walked up to the bushes.

"Hello?" she asked.

There came no answer. Nala then looked to Elsa.

"What is it?" asked the tanned lioness cub.

Elsa turned and looked to Nala.

"I think theres someones there." answered Elsa.

Suddenly, a leopard ponced out from the bushes, letting out a loud roar.

Elsa and Nala quickly jumped out of the way as the leopard came in between them. Siimba and Zarya looked back in a flash and gasped in fright.

"Run!" said Nala as she, Zarya and Simba ran back the way they came.

The leopard turned and looked to Elsa, who was on it's right side. She looked back at it, frightened. She turned and ran the other way, as the leopard chased after her.

**(I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I'm sorry that I'm leaving this on a cliffhanger.I will do another chapter tomorrow and (Minor spoiler) Jack will be in the next one. And as always, please comment and review)**


	8. Chapter 8

The young icy blond hair girl fled through the jungle, plowing through the vegetation as the leopard chasing her. Elsa looked back to the leopard and saw it gaining on her. She tried running as fast as her two legs could carry her. She leapt over a falling log that was in the way as she continued running from the big yellow and black spotted cat. The leopard jumped over the log and went after Elsa.

The jungle girl came into a clearing. She looked back one last time to the leopard. She saw the vicious jungle predator when suddenly she fell and was rolling down a hill of plants and grass, all the way to the bottom. She was laying on the ground on her right side till she leaned up off the ground.

Elsa looked up the hill and saw the leopard come into view at the very top. She let out a gasp of fright, her eyes widened. It looked down at her and let out a roar. It began to come down the hill. Elsa quickly got up and ran into the further jungle. The leopard jumped down close to the end of the hill and continued pursue its chosen pray. The icy blond-haired girl ran past countless trees and plants.

She heard the leopards growl from behind. She stopped and looked back. The leopard was getting closer and closer with every passing second.

Elsa looked all around for a place to hide. Looking from right to left till she saw a big tall tree with branches that were strong high branches above. The jungle girl ran toward the tree and began to climb its bark surface. Elsa reached up with her left arm and grabbed the bark and pulled herself up. She set her right bare foot up as well but it slipped down. She gasped and then brought her foot back up. She looked up and continued to climb up the tree. Elsa came to the first branch. She grabbed on to the branch. She pulled herself up and on the branch. Elsa gazed through the leaves, down and looked for any sign of the leopard.

She saw nothing but jungle below. It became quiet, not a sound could be heard. Elsa could feel her heart beat so fast in her chest and a shiver ran down her spine. She suddenly heard a sound from behind. She quickly turned and looked. She didn't see anything there but shaking plants. Elsa continued to stare till she another coming from ahead. She looked ahead and saw a puff of smoke, ahead of the tree. Elsa peered over at it.

She suddenly widen her eyes in shock. It looked as if there was a fire. And if there was a fire, then that meant... Suddenly a yellow par came on the branch, making it shake. Elsa looked and saw the leopard, climbing up on the branch. She gasped and back down the branch as the leopard tried slashing its paws at her.

"GO AWAY!" She cried.

The leopard came up on the branch. It bared its sharp fangs at her. It crept toward her, growling. Elsa back down the branch further till she came close to the end. Elsa looked back and saw she had no where left to go. She looked back at the leopard and saw him about to raise its paw with its five sharp claws emerging from it. Just as the leopard was about to conflict harm on the girl, there was a loud gun shot and the bullet hitting right near the leopard foot, making it slip off the branch. The yellow and black spotted cat then fell from the tree and landed on the ground below.

Elsa looked down at the leopard. She saw him roll on side and looked to see a big man with a white bearded man with a large brown vest, a white shirt and brown pants, holding a rifle to him.

"Back!" he cried.

"Back!"

The man then took another shot. The bullet hit the ground close to the leopard, making the leopard scatter away. The big man lowered his gun as the leopard raced out of sight. Elsa looked down at the man. It had been so long since she ever saw another human. Ever since she had been adopted by lions, there never came any encounter with her own kind.

"Uncle North?"

Elsa looked from the bearded man and saw a boy who was about her age, with white hair, a blue t-shirt and brown shorts come up to the man. The man turned to the boy.

"Jack, what are you doing here?" he asked the boy.

"Your suppose to be with your sister and Tooth."

"Where is it?" asked Jack, looking around for the leopard.

"It's gone now." said North.

"Aw." said Jack, disappointed that he missed seeing the jungle cat.

"Trust me, Jack." said North, draping the strap on his rifle o his shoulder.

"You won't be thinking that if you actually meet one. Now Come." North set his hand on Jack's shoulder and moving him along.

Let's get back to camp before it decides to come back. The last thing I need is to tell my sister her sons been eaten by a leopard, no?"

The two began to walk back the way they came. Elsa continued looking to them in the view of the trees. She couldn't believe that her own kind was here in the jungle. She was so curious and eager to see where there were going. Elsa climbed down from the tree and leaped down to the ground. She then began to follow after the man an the boy.

Meanwhile, Simba, Nala and Zarya were still running through the jungle. All in hopes that they might escape from the leopard. The three came back into a clearing that was right next to the river. They came to a stop to catch their breath.

"That was close." said Zarya.

"Did we lose it?" asked Nala.

"I think so." answered Simba.

The young lion prince then noticed that someone was missing.

"Wait, where's Elsa?" He asked.

The three friends all looked around but saw no sign of the blond-haired jungle girl.

"Elsa!" called out Nala, hoping that she wold hear her.

But there came no answer.

"Uh oh." said Simba, knowing that she might be in grave danger.

"She might still be back there. Come on, we have to find her!"

The three friends went back into the jungle, in search of their missing friend.

**(That's all for now, I hope you enjoyed. please comment and review.)**


	9. Chapter 9

Meanwhile far back in the jungle, Elsa continued to stalk the man and boy through the lush, jungle vegetation. The girl kept under the shadows of the plants, moving in a crotching way. The sight of another human in the jungle had caught her attention like a net catching a butterfly. Ever since she was with her lion family, she had never seen another human person in a long time. To see one, two for that matter, she had know if there were more. Jack and North continued down the path, they had no idea of being followed that a wild, feral jungle girl was following.

North gazed up at the clear sky above. He took a deep breath in, taking in all the fresh air.

"It's such a great day, no?" he asked looking down to Jack.

"I guess." The white hair boy answered.

Jack was still disappointed about missing the leopard.

"Aw cheer up, Jack." said North, padding the boy on his back.

"You'll have the chance to see more animals when we go on that hike tomorrow."

"That sounds great, uncle North." said Jack.

North looked down to his nephew with remorse. Jack had acted so depressed since he came here. The reason being that his parents were going through a divorce. Jack had heard nights of arguing between his mother and father over the loss of their fathers job. Sometimes his five-year old sister Anna would come into his room, crying. North's sister, Martha sent Jack and his younger sister to stay with him and Tooth till she got things sorted out.

Jack and North came into the clearing from the jungle. Inside the treeless sight, there were three wooden cabins and a large safari jeep parked right next to one.

Elsa crept out from the cover of the green wig bushes. She came behind a tree and continued to look toward the man and boy.

"Tooth, Anna!" North called.

"Come out, it's safe."

Two more people came out from the main cabin. If was a short women with brown hair, wearing a light blue t-shirt and brown shorts. She carried in her arms a girl with reddish-brown hair wearing a short green dress. She carried a stuffed doll with the same colour dress and orange hair.

"Jack!" She said as she came down the steps.

"I thought I told you to stay in the cabin."

"Sorry," said Jack, disappointingly.

"There's no need to worry." Said North as he walked toward the cabin with his riffle.

"Jack was nowhere near the leopard. It's was far gone before he could see it."

"Is the bad kitty gone?" Anna asked, curiously.

North rubbed the top of the girl's head with his big hand.

"Of course it is, sweetie." He said.

"The bad kitty is far away from us."

"That's good." Said Anna smiling.

North nodded his head in agreement.

"Here," said North as he took the little girl from Tooth.

"Why don't you and your brother go play, no?"

"Yeah!" Said Anna as North set her down on the ground.

Anna came up to Jacks side. She began to pulling on his right arm.

"Come on, Jack!" She said continuing to tug on Jacks arm.

"Alright, I'm coming." said Jack giving in and following his little sister.

Elsa continued watching from behind the cover of the tree. She gazed at the Jack and Anna as they walked to the back of the camp site. The girl dashed to the other side and into the vegetation to the side. She moved through the brush following after the two siblings. Meanwhile, far back into the jungle, Simba, Nala and Zarya dash through the lush tropical forest. They call out for Elsa, hoping for her being somewhere nearby.

"Elsa!" Nala called out hoping that Elsa would respond. But still no answer.

"Elsa!"

"Where could she be?" asked Zarya, curiously.

Simba and Nala thought back. They remembered that Elsa was with then at the hill-top. She must have been separated when the leopard attacked them. What if that leopard went after her instead?

"Come on, maybe she's hiding somewhere." said Simba, knowing that Elsa would be up in a tree or hiding in a small cave somewhere.

Simba turned and ran up ahead. Nala and Zarya came after the young lion prince. Meanwhile, Diata, Bagheera and Baloo were walking the trail of the four cubs. Bagheera was leading, using his sense to find them. The panther breathEd in. The sent streamed into his nose, depicting what direction the friends had gone. It was coming from ahead of them, toward the river.

"This way!" he said as he dashed forward.

The four adults came into the sight of the rushing river. Bagheera began to get a grave suspicion. If the scent of the four cubs brought them here, that only meant one thing.

"Oh no." he said, realizing where they had gone.

"What?" asked Diata wanting to know what the problem was.

"They crossed the river." answered the panther, turning to the lioness.

"What?!" The lioness mother was just so stunned to hear that. She couldn't believe this, her daughter had just disobeyed her. She could be in danger.

"After I specifically warned them not to." Bagheera said, turning away.

Though this was not much of a surprise to him. Kids never do have the intention to listen. At least some of them don't.

"We have to cross over and find them." she said, wanting to find her daughter before any other hungry predator does.

"Well then let's go!" said Baloo.

The bear walked up to the stream and jumped into the water. He made a big splash upon impact. The bear fought through the rushing water, desperately fighting against the strong current and get to the other side.

"Hold on kids!" he said.

"Baloo's coming!"

The bear came half way across the rushing stream. The water was all the way up to his chest and getting deeper and deeper with every step he took.

"Almost there!" he said in his thoughts.

"Baloo!"

The big grey bear turned back and looked to Bagheera.

"I think it's best that we take that way." said the panther, shrugging his head toward the fallen tree trunk across from them.

Baloo stood in the rushing water, feeling like such an idiot.

"Oh... yeah, that works too." said the bear.

The panther rolled his eyes as he and Diata turned and walked over to the tree trunk. Diata jumped up onto the trunk and began to cross over to the other side of the river. She hoped that Elsa, Simba, Nala and Zarya were okay. Though after this is over, there was no way she would let Elsa out of her sight for a long while.

Far back to the camp site, Jack and Anna were playing together. Jack was holding two sticks to his head, and was chasing after his little giggling sister in circles.

"Roar!" Jack said pretending to be a wild animal.

"I'm gonna get you, Anna!"

The little reddish-brown hair girl just continued to laugh.

"You can't catch me!" said Anna back to her brother.

As the two continued to play, Elsa was watching them through the cover of the bushes. The jungle girl was so amazed and shy at the same time. She was happy that for once in her life as a jungle girl, she was able to see her own kind again. But even now, she felt frightened to meet them face to face. With living among the animals for many months now, She had forgotten most of the life in civilisation, including how to talk to them.

Elsa continued to see the two siblings, chasing each other, much like her and the lions cubs of the pride.

Jack caught up to Anna, he threw down the sticks and caught her sister in his hands.

"Got ya!" Said Jack as he lifted her up off the ground and went around in a circle. Anna was laughing, being high in the air. Jack then sat down on the ground, still holding his little sister in his arms.

"How was that?" Asked Jack curiously.

"That was awesome." Said Anna.

Jack, chuckled, giving a big smile to her little sister.

"Hey Jack?" Asked Anna.

"Hmm?" He said.

"Why are mama and papa mad at each other?" Asked Anna curiously. For the past few months, their parents, their parents constantly argue. Their father had lost his job at the ice rink because of the lack of funding. Their mother insisted on getting a job, but he keeps insisting that he would find one. Though there wasn't much work to be found in the city.

"I don't know." said Jack.

"Do you think things will get better?" Anna asked curiously.

"I hope so." said Jack.

Anna narrowed her head. She hoped that things would be back the way they once were. Before their parents were fighting.

"Hey." said Jack, as he lifted head up to face him.

"Don't worry, everything's going to alright."

Jack then took Anna in her arms and hugged her tight. Anna closed her eyes, laying against her brother chest as he held her close. Elsa was still watching the two siblings. She gazed over at them from behind the bush, beginning to stand up a bit getting a look at the sight. She felt so warm inside. She began showing a smile on his face. The moment she was witnessing, The love between brother and sister. It bared so much resemblance to the moments of her and her lioness mother.

Jack began to open his eyes, he looked toward the bushes. His smile disappeared from his face. He saw something, hiding behind the bushes. It starred toward him and Anna. Jack departed from Anna.

"Jack?" asked Anna, curiously.

Jack got up on his feet. He rose up off the ground and got a better look at the thing looking at him. It looked like a girl! Elsa gasped and ducked a bit behind the bush, but stay high enough to still look to Jack. The white-haired boy looked back to Anna.

"Anna, stay here." he said.

The white-haired boy looked back toward the girl and began to approach, creeping slowly toward her.

"Hello?" the boy asked, getting closer to Elsa.

Elsa slowly backed away from the bush.

"It' ok, it's ok." Jack reassured.

"I'm no going to hurt you."

Jack came closer to the girl. Just before he could become face to face with the girl, Elsa turned and ran away into the jungle.

"Hey wait!" said Jack as he ran after her.

"Jack!" said Anna,beginning to dash toward her brother.

The boy stopped and looked back to his sister.

"Anna, stay there!" said Jack putting his hand out to her. Anna stopped in her tracks. Jack then turned and ran into the jungle, following after the mysterious girl.

**(I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter, if there's any requests, feel free to share. And as always, please comment and review!)**


	10. Chapter 10

Elsa scattered away throgh the jungle, pushing through all the great strans and palm plants in her way. Following behind her, the young white haired boy chased after the jungle girl. Elsa felt so paniced, being discoved by a stranger.

"Hey wait!" said Jack, calling out to her.

Though not a word said to her, she could understand at all. With living amoung lions, the lenguage she once spoke was forever lost and no longer came to her understanding. Elsa then came out from the brush and toward a steap, shallow river bed. She leaped down and landed on hard lumps of the rocks under the short stream of water She ran toward the other side of the river bank and quickly climbed up the short ledge. Elsa came on the top and then disappeared into the brush.

"Wait, slow down!" said Jack as came out of the brush and to the edge.

Jack took one step on the steap ledge, it suddendly gave in and colasp. Jack fell to the water below. He landed hard on large stone below, smashing his knee on one of their solid sufaceses.

"AAAHHH!" Jack yelped, feeling the unbarable pain of the middle of his knee.

His cry was heard by those nearby. Elsa, still trying to escape the boy, suddenly heard his cry of pain. She cam to stop before she turned and look back the way she had sounded like someone was hurt and may need help. The jungle girl then began to move back.

Meanwhile, back at the river, Jack continued to suffer the pain of his injued leg. Jack looked down to his right knee. He made one single move and fliched at the feeling as he reach down with both ands and took hold of his knee.

The young boy slowly rolled over to face the way he had came, careful not to trigger anymore agony of his injury.

"Aw man." he said.

Behind him, Elsa peered from the cover of the plants. She saw the boy, laying in the rirver, injued badly. Jack tried to stand up, but only triggered the pain of his leg and fell back down to the water. The blonde haired jungle girl began feeling sorry for the boy, seeing him so hurt and alone. She looked back the way she had came, knowing that this could be a chance to escape. Yet something kept telling her not to.

It didn't feel right to just leave him when he needed help. Elsa looked back to Jack. She bega to slowly approch the injured boy. Jack heard the movement of plants behind him. Jack turned his head and looked to what approched him from behind. His eyes showed him such a surprise. It was a girl. A young girl who looked to be two years younger then him, she had hair of the colour of icy blonde, braided to a french bera. Her eyes were blue like his and she was wearing a blue loin cloth.

Elsa stared at Jack, curiously. He could only do the sme back, seeing a wild girl here in the jungle. Elsa slowly came up to the ledge she knealed down and then leaped down to the stream. The water below her feet splashed upon landing. She came around the boy, in a croaching manner.

"W-who are you?" Jack asked curiously.

The blonde wild girl didn't answer him. She looked to his right leg, which he was holding tight. She came up to his leg and hessitationly reach out and touch his leg.

"AH!" Jack flinched, and moved his leg away. Elsa backed away from the boy, feeling intiminated.

"Hey, easy." said Jack.

He seemed so maimed. He was unabled to move with his leg and he was so far from his pride. He needed help or he would be hunted by any predator nearby, like that leopard. Elsa came up and tugged on his arm.

"Huh?" Said Jack.

Elsa crawled over behind Jack. The white haired boy looked back to the girl as she came back up and tugged on his shoulder. It looked as if she wanted her to follow her. Jack got back up on his feet, trying to take no mind to the unbarable torment of his injured leg. He tried walking over to the girl, but when he stepped with his right leg, he nearly fell to the watery ground. Elsa came back up to the young boy. She took hold of his hand and guided the injured Jack to the short ledge. She climbed up on top and then turned to help Jack. She pulled him. Up out of the shallow stream.

Jack step up his left leg an climbed up on the top of the ledge. His injured leg forced him to kneel down. Elsa pulled him back up on his feet. The wild girl then guided him through the jungle.

Meanwhile, Diata, Bagheera and Baloo were following the trail of the four cubs. Diata, following the scent of the four friends. The three were brought to the top of the hill. Baloo looked to the view of the wide jungle ahead.

"Wow, you seeing the bagie?" Asked Baloo.

"Quite a sight ain't it?"

"Baloo, this is no time for sight seeing." said Bagheera sternly.

The lioness mother continued to sniff, following the one of her adopted she suddenly picked up another unfamiliar scent. Diata was shocked. What she was sencing was the that of another predator. She widened her eyes as she raised his head up.

"Oh no." She said.

The memories of that day came flooding back. The day she lost her cub to those, scavenging, grey dogs. Her cubs scream echoing through her mind, the sound of her torment.

"Diata was is it?!" Asked Bagheera as she turned to Diata.

"Elsa!" She said as the lioness mother took off in the direction.

"Diata!" Said Bagheera.

Suddenly there were voices calling for Elsa. The two looked right and saw Simba, Nala and Zarya came into sight. They stopped and gasped.

"Bagheera!" Yelped Simba, shocked to see the black panther and grey bear.

Bagheera turned to the three cubs.

"Simba, Nala, Zarya!" He said sternly, so aggrivated that they went against his wish, that of Mufassa as well.

"Bagheera please, Elsa's..."

But the look of Bagheera showed no difference. As if... He already knows.

"I think he knows." Said Nala as she looked to Simba.

The young lion Prince nerrowed his eyes, feeling so ashamed and guilty.

**(That's all for now, please comment and review!**)


	11. Chapter 11

Meanwhile, far into the dense jungle land. Elsa walked through the lush vegetation, helping the injured Jack. The boy held her hand, trying his best to move with his injured right leg. It wasn't easy, not with Jacks injured leg. Just trying to move a step seemed to be an unbearable challenge. As they continued to move through the lush, dense wood, the white haired boy then stepped with his right leg and fell to the ground before him.

"Ah!" he cried, feeling the pain of his fractured leg.

Elsa stopped and turned back the white haired boy and kneeled down to the boy. He was on his hand and knees, trying to get back up. He looked to Elsa, he could see the expression on her face. She was looking so concerned about him.

"I'm okay." he said, trying to convince the girl that he was okay, but much to his words were not understood by the jungle girl.

Els knew that he couldn't move alone with his leg, he was going to need help. Elsa came and put his arm over her shoulder. She lifted the boy off the ground.

"Wow." said Jack as he looked to the wild girl.

"Thanks."

Elsa and Jack continued on through the lush jungle growth. Jack was hopping on his left foot, keeping his right off the ground. In a short period of time, they finally came into a clearing. Ahead of them was a tall tree with many branches from low to the bottom of the trunk, to high above. Elsa guided Jack toward the tree. She then kneeled down , as jack turned and sat down against the tree.

His back laid was against the bark armored tree. He laid his right leg flat on the ground. Elsa sat like a lion cub at his side looking to the boy.

"Aw man." Said Jack, wincing at the pain of leg.

"Well, thanks for helping me. I don't suppose you could find my uncle or aunt?"

The jungle girl only stared with curiosity. She found this moment to be a rare turn of events. She was with one of her own kind, a boy for that she couldn't really talk to him or understand him for that matter. Even now she wondered what he was trying to tell her.

The wild girl then gazed up at the tree. She saw fruit dangling from above. She felt so hungry after all the running and exploring more of the jungle. She came up to the tree trunk and started climbing up the tree. Jack looked up to the girl.

"Hey, where are you going?" Jack asked, gazing up at the wild girl

Elsa climbed up to the same level of the fruits. She turned and reached out for the fruit. She grabbed onto the sweet, round orange, orb. She tugged on it and the fruits stem finally snapped. Elsa then dropped it down.

"Wow!"

The white haired boy quickly flinched to his right as it landed at Jacks side.

Elsa then tugged on the next fruit and it finally gave. She then dropped it down to the ground. It landed next to the previous one and rolled away a bit. Elsa then climbed down to the ground below. lose down she leaped from the trunk and landed on the ground. The ice blond girl came up to Jack. She took one of the orange fruit and handed it to Jack.

The white haired boy took the fruit from the wild girl.

"Uh..thank you." he said.

Jack took one big chomp through the fruits surface, leaving a wide shallow hole. His mouth was filled with the sweet sensation as he chewed. He then finally discarded it down his throat.

"Mm." He moaned, enjoying the taste left in his mouth.

Elsa took hold of the other orange fruit. Her eyes beamed toward the white haired boy, just as she took a bit.

A ways back, Diata raced through the jungle, following after the scent of her daughter and the leopard chasing her. The lioness came to the steep hill.

"Elsa?" she called out for her adoptive daughter.

There was no answer from her. Diata stumbled down to the ground below and continued into the deep dense forest. Diata hasten till she came to the tall tree. The lioness then stopped. She sniffed the air, sensing her daughter.

But it wasn't the only the only thing she could smell.

Diata smelt a very familiar smell. She turned an sniffed the ground below. It bared that of man. Just then she heard a voice calling out. Diata turned and looked to the direction of the strange voice. It didn't sound like Elsa, but she could be there. She began heading toward the source of the sound.

Meanwhile near the camp, Anna was looking for Jack. The little girl moved through the plants, looking for her older brother.

"Jack!" she called out.

"Jack where are you?"

As the girl continued searching for Jack, Diata came from the vegetation. She saw the girl and stopped. The lioness backed away into the bushes looking toward the little human cub. She continued gazing at the little girl.

"Jack!" she called out again.

But still she heard no answer from him.

The girl turned her head in all directions. She saw no sign of her brother anywhere. Diata continued to spy upon the child. She questioned as to why she was here in the jungle and alone. Was she lost like Elsa had been?

"Anna!"

The lionees turned to looked and saw a big, white bearded man and a brown haired women run into sight. The man kneeled down to the girl, setting his big hands on her shoulders.

"Anna what are you doing here?" he asked.

"Your not suppose to leave the camp."

"I'm looking for Jack." said Anna.

"I can't find him anywhere."

"Do you know where he went." asked Tooth,

Anna shook her head no. Suddenly, there was a loud roar of thunder from above. The three looked up at the cloud-filled sky above. It was going to rain soon and Jack was still somewhere out there. He had to find him and soon. North turned to Tooth.

"Tooth, take Anna back to the camp." He said.

"I'll go find Jack."

Tooth nodded her head yes.

"Don't be long." she said.

North turned and headed into the jungle, in search of his nephew. Tooth turned to Anna and picked her up off the ground.

"Come on,Anna." she said, as she picked up her niece.

"Lets get back to camp."

"But I want to help find Jack." Protested the girl.

"North is going to find him." Tooth reassured.

"He'll bring him back safe. But right now, we have to get in a cabin before we get wet."

Tooth turned and headed back toward the camp. Diata peered from her hiding spot. She looked the way of the women and child. Elsa wasn't among them. Though could she be where they're going? As the lioness mother gazed in their direction she then caught a whiff of scent. She leaned down and sniffed the ground, it smelled just like...

"Elsa." She said.

Diata turned and looked the opposite way. Her scent came in that direction. Data ran off in the direction, hoping to find her adopted daughter and hoping she was not harmed. The rain began to fall from the sky above. North continued searching the lush, dense forest for his nephew. The big bearded man, wet from the drops of the sky above moved through the plants.

"Jack!" He called out.

"Jack where are you?"

There was no response from him. There was only the sound of the falling rain above. North became so nervous than he ever had been before. Jack had been known to wander off before, but he was easy enough to find. Now, he seemed to have just disappeared into thin air, without a trace. North wasn't willing to give up that easy. He marched ahead, continuing on ahead.

Far back at the tree, Elsa and Jack were hiding under the tree. The rain began to all from the sky above. Jack sighed, continued laying up against the tree, waiting for the rain to end or for his uncle to find him.

They boy looked to Elsa, who sat at his side. She was licking her hand like a cat and wiping it on her blond, French braided hair. Jack found it a bit weird, seeing her act as if she was a wild animal. Though what could he expect finding a girl in the jungle? She then saw him looking at her. She stopped licking her hand and clamped it on the ground.

"So... whats your name?" Jack asked curiously.

Elsa only looked curiously.

"Can you talk?" Jack asked curiously.

"Can you tell me your name?"

Hearing the word, Elsa tried to speak.

"N...n...na..."

"Name." said Jack.

"Na... na...name." said Elsa, finally saying the word.

"Yeah, Name." said Jack as he turned to her. He was careful not to trigger the pain of his leg.

"My names Jack."

"Ja...Jack." said Elsa.

"Jack... name."

The white haired boy ndded his head yes, smiling. Finally it seemed he was getting her to talk.

"Yeah." he said.

"Jack name."

"Jack name." said Elsa again.

"Jack name. Jack...Elsa."

"Elsa?" said Jack curiously.

"Is that your name?"

"Elsa." said the wild girl as she placed her hand on her chest.

Jack just chuckled.

"Jack." said the boy again, as he placed his hand on his chest like Elsa.

"Jack, Elsa." Jack reached and set his hand on her chest.

Elsa then reached and set her hand on Jacks chest.

"Jack, Elsa."

"Yeah!" said Jack, gazing happily at Elsa.

Elsa Smiled back at Jack. After so many months in this jungle, living among lions, she began to speak the language she had lost long ago.

Not too far away, Diata continued to search for her daughter. She came to the streaming river separating the flat land to the hill above. Diata had reached the end of Elsa's trail. She looked around for her adopted daughter. But she saw no sign of her.

"Elsa!" she called out to her.

"Elsa!"

Back near the tree, as Jack and Elsa were starting a friendship with one another, Elsa began hearing a voice calling her name. Her smile vanished and she turned to look.

"What?" Jack turned and looked out toward the jungle.

He too was hearing a sudden sound. It wasn't the voice that came to hearing of the wild girl, it resembled more of a roaring sound.

"What is it?" he asked looking to Elsa.

The wild girl then began making a roaring sound calling back to Diata. The lioness mother heard the calling of her daughter. She looked to see it was coming from the top of the hill. Diata ran across the river and began moving up the hill.

Back at the tree, Elsa gave a roar one last time. She then stopped and placed her hands down on the was suddenly movement in the plants ahead. Jack turned to look forward to the vegetation. A tanned fur lioness then appeared from the bushes.

"Oh no!" said Jack as he moved back against the tree.

Diata looked to the two. She was relieved to see her daughter safe, but she was shocked to see another human cub. The lioness came up to the two. She came out of the tree, sheltered from the rain above. She shook the water off her fur. Afterwards she stared down at Jack. The boy look back at her, nervous and scared. Here he was face to face with Africa's most dangerous predator. He could feel his heart race from the inside, he couldn't run anywhere or call for help. There was no one nearby to hear him.

Though fortunately for him, she saw no fit in harming him. Diata then turned and nuzzled Elsa, the wild girl did the same back to her. Jack feared expression turned and became very curious of the interaction between the girl and lioness. The two then departed.

"Is this your friend?" Jack asked curiously.

Elsa turned to look at him.

"D-Diata." Said. Elsa.

"Diata friend. Diata m-mother."

Jack became surprise and shocked, his blue eyes opened wide.

"Thats your mom?" asked Jack in complete shock.

(**Thats all for now, I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. If there are any requests, feel free to share and as always, please commen and review.)**


	12. Chapter 12

(**Thank you guys for you patients, I hope you guys enjoy this chapter I made. I also want to say that about adding the Madagascar characters in this. Well, I kind of decided that I already have too many characters as it is, so I'm going to have to leave them out of this, sorry.)**

Elsa nodded in response. Jack turned and gazed at the tanned fur lioness and then back at Elsa. He was completely astonished to know that this girls mother was a lioness.

Elsa turned to look at her mother, only to be met with an expression of shock and Dismayed. Though she was relieved that her adopted daughter was safe but was also disappointed that she disobeyed her. She had made it clear to her to never cross the river and yet her adopted daughter decided to go against her. She had already lost one cub once, she couldn't take the burden of losing a second.

Elsa smile then turned to a frown. She knew that Diata was mad at her for crossing the river.

"Elsa, I can't believe you disobeyed me." Said the lioness mother still feeling the shock and frightened as she was before.

"What have I told you about crossing the river."

Elsa narrowed her eyes feeling so ashamed of herself. She didn't mean to disobey her mother.

"But... We were just..." Elsa tried to explain. She gazed up at her lioness mother and was met with eyes of pain and loss. She couldn't find any words to say next, she knew that she had just hurt her mother by going against her wishes. There wasn't anything she could say to change the mistake she had made.

"I'm sorry, mama." She said as she narrowed her head again.

Diata sighed feeling a bit upset of being hard on her. She was only a cub, she didn't know any better. It wasn't as if she was any different when she was her age. It was only because she cared so much for Elsa that she couldn't take losing her.

Though this was not the time for this. The lioness mother turned to look at the boy-cub who sat injured against the tree. The boy looked back at her feeling intimidated by the presence of the jungle cats presence. Even knowing that she was this wild girls mother, it still didn't change the fact that she was a predator. A carnivore who kills anything for food. Though to his luck, Diata saw no fit to harm him.

After all, the law forbid her to hunt man.

"Why is there another man cub in the jungle?" She said to herself. She had already saw one a ways back, but there was elders with that one.

Elsa looked up to her mother before looking to Jack.

"Jack." Said Elsa.

Diata looked down to her adopted daughter.

"Jack?" She said.

"It's his name." Said Elsa.

Diata looked back to the boy. She remembered hearing that same name at the human camp she had came across. It was clear that he was far away from his pride and they were looking for him.

"His family is searching for him." Said Diata.

"We should take him to them."

"But he's hurt." Said Elsa referring to his leg.

Elsa came up to the boy. She turned back to her mother and pointed to his leg. Diata came up and looked to Jacks right leg.

"He can't move." Said Elsa.

Diata came up and stared down upon the boys injured knee. She turned and looked face to face with the white haired boy. With his leg in such bad condition like this, it would be hard for him to move alone.

"What happened to him?" Diata asked as she looked to her adopted daughter.

"I don't know." said Elsa only seeing him when he was injured but was without witness as to what happened.

Jack looked to Elsa. She saw the two taking in a language that could not be heard by his ears.

He was curious as to what they might be saying to each other. Diata turned and gazed out to the raining night. At this very time, they weren't going anywhere until the night ends and the clear day returns.

"He's a liability out here." said Diata.

"We'll return him to his family tomorrow. For now, it's time for us to get some sleep."

The lioness turned and laid down left to Jack. Elsa came around and laid down at her side. The wild girl curled up against her mother's soft tanned fur as she turned and looked down to her daughter. The lioness leaned down and began licking the girl, cleaning her hairless skin. Jack stared to the mother and daughter. He saw something so strange and yet familiar. He saw this lioness, an animal said to be a danger for any person to be around caring for this one girl as if... she was her own.

He never in life thought this was possible for a lion to show this kind of love and affection to a human child. Something that his own mother showed him and his sister. Meanwhile back at the campsite, inside one of the cabins Tooth and Anna were waiting for North and Jack to return. Anna was laying in her bed, the covers draped over her small body. She was turned to the left side of the bed, facing Tooth who was sitting in a chair beside Anna's bed reading a book to the five year old girl. The book was all about a boy and a black horse. It was one of her favorite story's to hear every night before bed

Anna listened to the words spoken by Tooth, all the while she was thinking about her brother, praying that he was okay. Tooth looked from the book and saw Anna, frowning, holding her doll close to her. She was missing her brother deeply. Tooth closed the book and set it down on the night stand at her right side.

"Anna." She said as she stroked the girl brown hair.

The little girl looked up to her aunt.

"I miss, Jack." She said.

"I know you do." Said Tooth, softly.

"Don't worry. Uncle North will bring him back safe."

Anna narrowed her small blue eyes, hoping that she was right. Just then, the door to the cabin opened. The two looked and saw North come inside from the raining night outside. He closed the door behind, giving a sigh afterwards. Tooth stood up off the chair, knowing that something was wrong. North turned to her.

"Jack?" She asked.

North shook his head no. Tooth frowned, becoming even more nervous than she was before. Jack was somewhere out in that dark jungle, alone. He could be hurt.

"It's too dark to keep looking for him." Said North.

"I'll have to continue in the mourning."

Anna was on the verge of tears. Her brother was now missing. Why did he run away like that? Was it something she did? Annas head narrowed downwards as she began sobbing. North walked up to the side of her bed and kneeled down to the girl.

"Hey now." He said as he wiped away her small tear drops with his big hands.

"Don't cry, Anna. I promise I'll find you brother tomorrow."

Anna turned and looked to her uncle, continuing to sob. North brought her close, hugging the girl tight.

"There, there sweetie." He said comforting his little niece.

"Everything will be alright."

Anna laid against her uncle, holding onto him tight as she continued through her feelings of sadness.

(**As always I am open to requests and please comment and review**)


	13. Chapter 13

Throughout the night, the rain continued falling from the dark cloud filled sky above . The small drops of their tears rapidly descended to the lush forest, landing and splatting on contact on the green vegetations. Underneath the shelter of the tree, the mother lioness lays upon the ground, her adopted human daughter was fast asleep at her side, cuddling against her tanned fur. Jack was sitting against the tree, also consumed into his dreams.

Diata stared out to the raining jungle, her senses high for man or another predator that would attack. Today was too close of another loss for her. Elsa was put in danger and she was once again she was nowhere close to save her. It was of good luck to her that she was safe. Diata gazed down to Elsa laying next to her.

She kept on pondering of the great mistakes she had done as a mother. It wasn't enough of her to protect her daughter. Diata wanted nothing more but for Elsa to grow up safe in the jungle. To raise her as her parents would want, but it was never enough. Diata leaned down and nuzzled her sleeping girl-cub.

Elsa moaned in her peaceful state. The lioness mother raised her head back from her daughter, smiling. Such times as this to watch her daughter sleep, cuddled against her. It was something to behold and treasure. Diata then turned and looked to the white haired boy that was sleeping in front of a tree.

It was a surprise for her to be known of the presence of man in the jungle. This boy would be searched out for by his family and it was more than an insurance to bring him home. Thought that was a dreading feeling to be felt. If they find Jack, they would find Elsa too. What if they try and take her away? Diata gazed down to Elsa. She was too scared to have her daughter be taken away. While proper to be with her kind, it would mean the loss of her daughter.

Diata closed her eyes, trying to be convinced otherwise. The lioness mother laid her head down on her paws.

The night was than to dawn. The sun was rising to the high clear skies, beaming its light down upon the wet jungle. The clouds moved east and left a free light blue sky above. Back at the camp and inside the main cabin, North was sitting in his chair beside Anna's bed. It was all night that he stood awake trying to comfort a little crying Anna from the absence of her brother.

The little brown haired girl was fast asleep in her bed. She had cried all the way to the point she fell into a deep slumber. North had never once rose from his chair for anything. He only sat wide awake from the rain pouring down till it was finally silenced. It was guilt and failure he felt when he couldn't find his nephew. He had just hurt his own niece if something had happened to him. Not to mention his own sister.

He had just left his only nephew in the dangerous wilderness that was the jungle. For a child of his age, his very life was vulnerable and could easily be snuffed out with a single attack of a predator. If such an occurrence happened he would no forgiveness for this burden.

Finally, North stood off his chair. He walked to the doorway where his rifle stood up against the wall. The white bearded man took his gun. He opened the barrel where he loaded two bullets in. After words he pushed it back into the rifle and locked it.

"Are you going back out for Jack?"

North turned and saw Tooth standing behind him.

"Yes." North answered.

"Have you been up all night?" Tooth asked curiously.

"You look like you haven't slept all night."

"I shouldn't have left him out there." North said.

"I should have kept looking for him."

"You only would have been hurt yourself." Tooth said.

"There wasn't anything you could do last night."

North sighed. Tooth came up and cupped his cheek. The white bearded man narrowed his eyes, regretting to agree with Tooth. It was dark, raining and even with his gun his chances were but the least. It was also a hard thing to accept. To know that he couldn't do anything more to find his nephew.

North took hold of the hand of his wife. Afterwards he lowered his wife's hand down and turned to the door.

"Be careful." Tooth said just as North walked outside and shut the door.

North turned toward the jungle ahead. He walked down the few wooden board steps and went forward to the jungle forest, holding his rifle in his big gripping hands.

In the mean time, we come back to the tree where Diata, Elsa and the injured Jack had waited out the rain. The lioness mother slept with her adopted daughter still curled up at his side. Elsa was suddenly awaken as a drop of rain water dropped down from the one of the many leaves of the tree. The small drop down and exploded on her face upon landing. Elsa moaned and slightly opened her eyes. The wild little girl leaned off the her mother and sat up, rubbing the rain drop off from her face.

Diata opened her eyes and raised her head up from her paws. She gazed down to her daughter. Elsa finished wiping the wet spot from her face. The lioness chuckled.

"You alright?" She asked curiously.

Elsa turned and looked to her lioness mother.

"Yes Mama." She said.

"A drop fell on me.

"Looks like a leaves tear fell on you." Diata joked.

Just as she said it, a single teardrop from above fell upon the top of the lioness head, making her flinch. Elsa chuckled, holding her hand over her mouth.

"One got you too, mama." She said.

Diata grinned happily.

"It did so." She said.

Diata then turned her head and looked to Jack, who was still sleeping against the tree. Mourning was at its peak, it would mean that other humans would soon be looking for him. It would be danger to be met by the other creatures of the jungle.

"We should be going soon." Said Diata looking back to her daughter.

"His family will be looking for him soon. We must get him back to them."

Diata got back oh her paws as Elsa crawled over to Jack. The bleach blond haired wild girl took hold of Jack's shoulder and shock him awake. Jack moaned, opening up his blue eyes.

"Wha...?" He said as he looked to Elsa.

Elsa turned and pointed in the direction they had cam last night.

"What is it?" Jack asked curious to what she was trying to tell him.

Elsa took the boys hand and tugged on it to try and make him get up.

"Jack, come." She said.

Jack tried to get back up on his feet. He came on his injured knee and cried in pain, the white haired boy collapsed back to the ground. He took a breath in, trying to be relieved of his pain. He couldn't go anywhere in the condition he was in. He needed something to help him walk.

Elsa looked around for anything they could use to make him able to move. She gazed at the the left of the tree where she saw a long stick with a curved end lying on the ground. Elsa crawled over to the thin wooden stick. Jack watched the departing wild girl.

"Hey, where are you going?" He asked curiously.

Elsa crawled up and grabbed the stick off the jungle floor. The wild girl came up to Jack and handed him the staff. Jack reached out and took hold of the staff. The white haired boy took the staff in his left hand and stuck it in the ground, using his right leg pulled himself back. He placed his free hand on the trees brown bark trunk as he pulled himself up on his one good foot. Jack stood up, leaning on the staff for balance.

Jack turned his head and looked to Elsa.

"Thank you." said Jack.

Elsa smiled, nodding her head to him. Just then, the two heard a lions calling roar. The two looked and saw Diata standing outside from the cover of the tree. She gazed back at them before turned and walking back into the jungle. Elsa turned back to Jack and took grip of his hand. The wild girl guided Jack as limped his way to follow them.

(**I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. So I'm through with finals and school is out after tomorrow. For those who don't know, this will be the last update for a while. I'm going to Nova scotia on the twenty second and I'm going to some camps over the summer. So i'll be gone a while. Augest shall be where the updates will resume. Till then, I'll catch you guys later and as always please comment and review!)**


	14. Chapter 14

Out far into the dense jungle, North tread through the dense jungle far from the boundaries of camp. Within his hands, he grips his riffles tightly and turns in each of his direction. His only concern was that he would find Jack safe and sound. Yet in every place he looked, there was nothing to be in his sight but lush green plants and large pillars of wood reaching high in to sky.

North shifted his head to his right.

"Jack!" he called out.

There came no answer from the boy. This became even more of a concern to his nephew then before. Without a response, it could only mean that he was somewhere far off in the jungle or the boy could have been in great peril and suffered greatly. But there was no way for that to even be thought of. There was no possible way that could happen.

that The white bearded man shifted to another direction.

"Jack!" He called again.

But there still came no answer.

"Jack, where are you?!"

Some of the many sounds of the lush jungle were heard. Nothing more. Jack was still no where to be seen. Within his buffed chest, he could feel his own heart speed up at a great paste. North had an grieving feeling such a thing like this would happen. His concern of having Jack and Anna here with him, was that they would get lost in the jungle. He always welcomed for them to stay with him, after all he rarely ever got to see his niece and Nephew.

But the jungle was no place for them to be.

"Where could that boy be?" He asked himself.

"I hope he hasn't be hurt."

North plunged further into the lush wilderness. His his mindset was that hopefully Jack would be somewhere safe and out of harm's reach. Perhaps he may be making his way back to camp. To the man futurenet luck, his white haired Nephew was safe. However not the way he could think possible.

Far back, Elsa, Diata and Jack move down hill from the tree. The white lioness lead the way, often turning to look back at Elsa and her new friend. The wild girl walked down the hill as Jack followed after her. He limped down, using the staff in the place of his injured right leg.

"Oh man." said Jack looking down the hill.

It wasn't going to an easy climb down, not with his broken leg. It was so steep to climb down on just one leg With his injury aside, the content rain last night was of no help to the situation. The lush plants that stood out from the hills were wet and he could easily slip down, or even get tripped by a root. Getting down this high ground was of no doubt going to be a challenge. Elsa looked back at Jack.

"Jack, come!" said Elsa, giving the hand gesture to follow.

Diata turned and looked back up to the boy. The hill was too steep for him to follow with his leg. He was going to need help.

"Elsa." She said as her adopted daughter looked to her.

"He may need some help getting down the hill."

Elsa turned back up to Jack. The wild climbed back up the hill and grabbed hold of Jack's hand. Elsa tugged on his arm.

"Come on, Jack." she said.

The bleach blond jungle girl turned and pulled Jack along.

"Hey wait, Elsa!" said Jack as he tried to keep up with the wild girl.

The white haired boy limbed down the hill, he placed his staff forward and hopped down, his foot landed close to his staff. Elsa proceeded to guide Jack down the hill. Seeing the two begining to follow, Diata turned and began making her way down toward the river below.

Close to the bottom of the hill, Diata leaped down and landed in the small stream of water. She looked back to her daughter and Jack. Elsa came down into the shallow stream. She turned to Jack, appearing in a crouching manner. Jack gave a small leap off the hill, his foot landed into the rushing water.

"Oh man." he said with grief.

"Jack Okay?" Elsa asked curiously.

The white haired boy turned to the wild girl.

"For now." answered Jack.

"But when Uncle North see's my leg, he's going to freak. I don't think Ill ever hear the end of it."

Jack knew his uncle was a bit protective when it came being in the jungle. With all the animals and chances of getting lost and never found. North wanted his family to always be within sight of him. When he gets back to camp, his uncle would confine them to the camp for the rest of the visit.

Jack and Elsa then heard a small growl come from Diata.

"Elsa." Diata called to her daughter.

The two looked to the white lioness, who stood at the other side of the thin river bank.

"Come on you two. Keep up."

While Jack was left without a single understanding to what she was saying, Elsa knew that her Mother wanted her and Jack to follow.

"What she saying?" Jack asked turning to look at Elsa.

"Mama wants Jack and Elsa to stay close." Elsa explained to the boy.

The white haired boy smirked. The words he said barred some familiar things.

"She sounds just like my Uncle." he said smiling.

The two began walking up behind the white lioness as she came back up on dry ground. Elsa climbed up the small ledge of ground and later turned to Jack. The wild girl helped the white haired boy upon the ledge. Meanwhile, far back into the jungle, North continued to scoured the lush jungle for his missing nephew. The white bearded man brushed past some lush vegetation, pushing it aside with the silver reflecting barrel of his rifle.

"Jack!" he called out as he walked passed.

"Jack!"

All the while, far back into the lush jungle, Diata guided Jack and Elsa along. The two cubs trailed behind the white lioness. As Jack limbed along, he constantly thought about his Uncle and his little sister. Anna was probably missing him so much right now. She's must be upset as well that he had up and left. Jack let out a sigh, feeling so ashamed that he just up and left Anna.

Elsa turned to look at the white haired boy. She saw him looking a bit upset.

"Jack okay?" Elsa questioned.

Jack turned and looked to the jungle girl.

"Yeah." He answered.

"it's just... I'm worried about my little sister. She must be so sad that I'm gone right now."

"Jack have little sister?" asked Elsa curiously.

Jack shook her head yes.

"Yeah, I do." he said.

"Her names Anna."

"Anna Jack's little sister." Elsa said.

"Ah-huh." Jack responded.

"She's best one any boy could have. Maybe you could meet her when we get back to camp."

The wild girl saw fit in the idea. She would love the chance to meet his family. Seeing them play behind the bushes, Elsa wanted the chance to face them in person. As the three walked along toward the camp sight, Diata suddenly caught the whiff of a scent. Diata stopped,

"Wait!" the lioness said.

Elsa ceased all movement forward. She place her left arm out to Jack, stopping him in his tracks.

"What?" he asked, confused as to why they were stopping.

"Mama?" Elsa asked, feeling a bit nervous In the past when Diata said to stop on walks through the jungle, it sometimes meant another predator was nearby. Although this time, it would soon to be revealed a different reason.

Diata sniffed in the scent from the air. She then later narrowed her head to the ground and continued to identify the strange scent.

"What is it?" Elsa asked.

"Is it another predator?"

"I don't know." said Diata as she looked back to her daughter.

Just then, there was a faint sound coming in the distance. The three turned left as it called out again. The sound resembled that of a voice they had heard before. The three listened and the voice appeared to be calling out the name...Jack!

(**Thats all for now, I hope you enjoy this chapter. I really look forward to do the next one and stuff is about to get real. If there are any requests, please fell free to share and as always, please comment and review!)**


	15. Chapter 15

**(Here's the next chapter for you guys. It took me only five rewrites.)**

Elsa gazed upward to the heights of the trees, hearing the light echoing voice that called out through the jungle. The voice sounded somewhat...familiar. While not entirely known to the wild girl, it did she recalled hearing it at a certain time not so long ago. Of course it bared more of a resemblance to Jack. The young white haired boy turned to the direction the voice had came from. His eyes widen in realization as to who it was.

"Uncle North!" He said turning to face the deep jungle to his left. The seven year old boy then called out loudly.

"Uncle North!"

Elsa turned to Jack curiously. He seemed to know who it was that was yelling out his name. was it the white bearded man she had saw the day before? Was he the man he Jack said would 'freak' if he saw Jack injured.

"Un-cle..." said the wild girl.

The young boy turned to her, appearing happy and a bit of relief.

"Yeah, that's my Uncle!" Jack explained to the wild girl.

"He might be nearby!"

Jack turned back leftward to the lush tropical forest, shouting out to his Uncle as loud as he possibly could.

"Uncle North!" He yelled out, cupping his hand at the side of his mouth.

The bleach blond girl turned to her lioness mother, just as she walked up to her side.

"Elsa, who's he calling to?" Diata question, to what was the man cub's words he had spoken to her daughter?

"He says his uncle's nearby." Elsa answered.

Diata gazed toward the dense, wide crowd of trees. She recalled the last day, she saw one of the boys family members set out in search for the boy. It just might be the white bearded man still searching for his missing cub.

"Uncle North!" Jack called out again.

"Uncle North, I'm over here!"

Jack turned his head and looked at Elsa.

"Elsa, come on!" he said, just before he limped out into the jungle.

The wild girl first looked to her mother.

"Can we go?" Elsa asked curiously.

While it was an opportunity to reunite Jack with his family, Diata was in no fit for her or Elsa to come close to his uncle. Humans never took kindly to the presence of a lioness. Nor did she want for them to take Elsa away from her. But this wasn't the time for her own personal concern. Jack needed to be returned home. The white lioness began walking forward only to turn to her adopted daughter just before continuing on.

"I guess so." she said.

"But I want you to stay close to me, Elsa. Okay?"

The wild girl was left a bit confused. This was but her own kind and she wanted to meet with Jack's family. But this was what her mother asked from her. After crossing the river, she wasn't about to go against her mother. Not again.

"Yes Mama." said the wild girl.

Diata smiled back to her and nuzzled the girl. After words she turned to look ahead, beginning to walk off into the jungle. Elsa followed her mother walking at her side, her left arm draped over Diata's back.

Meanwhile, North was scouring the jungle for his lost nephew. With the silver barrel of his gun, he pushed aside some lush vegetation. North then passed by, looking to his surroundings.

"Jack!" He called out.

"Where are you, boy."

As North continued pushing on, a dimmed echo was heard.

"Uncle North!"

The white bearded man stopped dead in his tracks. He turned around and gazes from his left to right, feeling mixture of excitement and fear. He could sear the heat was getting to him. Could that really be Jack calling out for him now?

"Jack?!" He said, again. His hopes were that it really was Jack that was calling out.

Jack's voice then called out to him again. North stood for a short while, feeling so astonished to have heard his voice. Without another second, the burly man dashed off into the lush tropical forest in the direction of Jack's dimmed voice.

While the boy's uncle made his way, Jack limped on his one remaining foot through the jungle. Elsa and Diata walked from the front view. The wild girl turned back to Jack as he leaped up and landed back on the ground. Jack was left with mixed feelings of being thankful that his uncle was close by. But at the same time it was going to be hard to put up with him.

As Elsa stared back to him, she suddenly felt her mother stop in her tracks. Elsa turned to look at Diata. The white lioness stared ahead into the jungle. In the distance, a few lush plants shook or were pushed aside by something that passed through.

Diata crouched down a bit. She turned back to Elsa.

"Stay behind me." she said.

Elsa nodded her head yes.

Diata then began creeping ahead toward the lush plants. Elsa began kneeling down and stood on all fours.

"What is it?" Jack asked curiously.

Elsa turned to look at Jack. She brought her hand toward her, telling him to follow. Elsa turned back and continued crawling after her adopting mother. Jack looked forward and back again. The white haired boy began limping after the two.

Diata continued to stalk toward the bushes ahead, coming under their shadows. She peered out through a clear opening. Up ahead, the unknown predator moved through the lush vegetation and was coming close to the end.

Right at that moment, North came into view, appearing clear out from the tall lush plants. Diata remained silent, peering out toward the man. Elsa crawled steadily up to her mother's side.

She looked out forward through the gaps of the plants where she sees the tall, muscle his hands, he grips tight on his hunting rifle. From the tales of man, the sticks that shot out a bolt of lighting. The greatest fear to any creature of the jungle.

Elsa back away a bit, beginning to feel frighten.

"Mama?" She whispered.

Diata turned to Elsa. It was far too dangerous to approach the man with him armed with a gun.

"We must go." She said.

Jack came up from behind them. He then peered over the plants and saw his uncle, standing there , looking the other way.

"Uncle North!" He called out.

The white bearded man turned his head, his sight was met by the presence of his nephew.

"Jack, Oh thank god!" He said in relief.

Just before North drew closer he peered down toward the green bushes, where he was met by the white fur of Diata. The man widened his eyes in shock and fright.

"Jack get away now!" He said, louding his rifle.

"Uncle wait!" Jack said.

"Don't shoot!"

Diata and Elsa turned and saw the man preparing his gun.

"Elsa get on!" She said kneeling down to her daughter. Elsa quickly climbed up on Diata's back just before North fired his hunting rifle. The bullet struck the ground where the lioness once stood.

Diata dashed passed jack, fleeing with her daughter into the jungle North ran forward as he pulled back on the louder of the gun, exiling the used bullet.

"Uncle Stop!" The boy said as he tried limping toward his white bearded uncle and stop him from firing.

As Diata raced into the lush jungle. North stood and aimed his rifle. He fired the second the bullet. On the back of Diata, Elsa flinched ducking down on her mother's white fur.

"Mama, I'm scared!" she cried.

"Just hold on!" Diata said as she kept pressing forward.

Elsa stood up a bit, trying desperately to hold on. Yet suddenly another bang echoed through the tropical forest. Along with it, a speeding bullet bursted through Elsa's left shoulder. The wild girl erupted into a pained scream. Diata heard the cry of pain from her cub. She turned back to see her adopted daughter as she lurched forward and laid upon her back, holding a bloody wound through her shoulder.

"Elsa!" she yelped in shock, coming to a stop.

The lioness looks in such horror to her adopted daughter. Elsa laid there, suffering in such brutal pain from the gunshot. She felt so panicked,overwhelmed with her darkest fear

"Elsa...Elsa!," she said seeing her adopted child hurt in such a way.

"Oh no...No!"

Her daughter was facing a grave risk and needed to be helped. She needed to return to the pride and soon.

"Hold on, just hold on." she told he injured and shocked human daughter.

Diata quickly raced through the dense jungle to the separating river.

(**I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter, I'm sorry for ending it here. If you guys want me to continue with this story then I would be more than happy to. If there any corrections or requests please free to share and as always please comment and review!)**


	16. Chapter 16

So stunned, the bullet's excruciating pain felt so unbearable. Without a single movement, Elsa could only lay still upon the white back of her adopted mother. Diata brushed through the lush vegetation, all through the time, with all her remaining strength, Elsa tried hanging one while also covering the bullet wound that had passed right through her left shoulder. With the use of her left hand, gripping tightly to her mother's white fur. It was also followed with pain from her wound.

As she laid motionless, the jungle girl slowly faded from her conscious. He vision began to blur and was about to come into darkness. As he blue eyes became covered, Diata hurried through the lush jungle. She rushed as fast as she could allow herself to go. The fearful mother was left with her adopted cub life in such danger.

Her hope was for her daughter to be alright and be able to reach the pride. Never could she bare the loss of another child, it was the tragedy that she could.

Diata had finally came out from the jungle and into a clearing before the rushing stream of water. Diata turned back to gaze upon Elsa. Her young girl cub was starting to fade away. The lioness was horrified.

"Elsa..." she said in a whispering tone. Her heart beated as vastly as her agony. Time was becoming so short for her girl cub, her only hope was across the wide rushing water.

"Just hang on."

Diata turned back toward the fallen tree over the river. The lioness leaped up and landed upon the surface of the fat, bark truck. She then ran across the tree to the other side, returning into their known part of the jungle. Just then, a familiar bluebird fly by and spotted Diata. He gasped upon seeing Elsa wounded and flew down to the white lioness.

"Diata!" he called to her.

Diata gazed up upon the bird's appearance.

"Zazu!" she said.

The bird stopped and hovered, flapping his wings up and down.

"Oh my.." He said widening his eyes upon the badly hurt child.

"What has happened?!"

"Zazu, please find Help!" Diata said, just as she leaped down on the ground and turned to look at the majordomo.

"Oh, Yes, at once!" said Zazu as he flew off ahead.

Diata then continued her most desperate journey to the pride. Much to her luck, they were not so far from here. But it wasn't enough for Elsa. She raced through the spaced crowd of trees. All the while, Esa could no longer keep herself awake. Her head laid down upon her mother's back and she passed from her consciousness.

Elsa's hand was released from the back of her mother and slid downward, dangling.

It was short time to passed, Diata had finally reached the Prides den. From near the mouth of the cave, Sarabi was lying under the burning sun. Along with her was Sarafina and Nala, wrapped in her front legs. At the side of the lioness queen, Simba layed next to her. Both he and Nala were now confined to stay with the lionesses after their disobeying action of crossing the river.

Sarabi gazed toward the jungle where she then witnesses Diata emerge into sight, carrying a now unconscious, Elsa. The lioness widened her eyes in shock as she stood up on her four paws. Sarafina turned and saw Diata rushing toward them.

"Sarabi!" She cried.

The tanned lioness gazed in shock at Elsa, laying motionless upon her back. Simba and Nala gazed toward the motionless wild girl. Both of them were left without words and shocked beyond belief.

Simba came up beside Diata looking up at the wild girl now deep slumber.

"Elsa?" he said.

The wild girl only remained motionless. Simba began to frown. He came up and pushed her hand with the top of his head.

"Elsa, wake up!" Simba pleaded.

Yet till Elsa did not awaken. Simba could feel such remorse and pain for his friends state.

"What happened to her?!" Sarabi questioned.

The answer was nothing for Diata to even believe herself. Never could she even imagine that her own kind would fire their steel branches of fire at cub, let alone one of their own.

"Man." she answered.

Diata stared to her.

"What!" she said in shock.

Sarabi was but left so surprised. To know that man was responsible for something that was so unthinkable as this. Though this was not the time for an answer. Elsa was suffering deeply from her wound and was in need of help.

"Come, bring her into the cave."

The three lioness walked inside the den. Simba and Nala turned to watch as they take Elsa into the cave. Simba was left with such guiltiness. All because of his ego and curiosity, Elsa had end up getting hurt. The young prince narrowed his head, shutting his eyes with such shame for what he had done. He could only place the blame upon himself for Elsa's suffering wound.

Within the cave, Sarabi lead Data to the flat stone plate form at the back of the cave.

With care Sarabi came up beside Diata and took hold of the top Elsa's loincloth. She then lifted the girl cub off of her mother's back. Sarabi then turned and carried the girl to the rock plate form. The tanned lioness set the girl down, laying her on her back. Diata came up and stared down at her adopted daughter. She frowned upon the state of Elsa, she could not bear to see her like this.

The white lioness came up onto the plate form and lied down next to her daughter. As she continued to look down upon her, she felt so ashamed. All she wanted was to protect Elsa, to give her the life she had failed to give to her lost cub. But now her her adopted daughter lies, shot by one of her own kind.

"I'm sorry, Elsa." she said, tears emerging from her eyes.

"I never should have let this happen

Diata leaned down and nuzzled her adopted cub. Sarabi and Sarafina looked in such remorse for their friend. They closed their eyes and narrowed their head, praying for Elsa's return from this undeserved tragedy.

(**Don't think the worst, my friends. The next chapter is soon to come! Please comment and review!)**


	17. Chapter 17

Sarabi gazed back up at Diata. The white lioness only laid there next to her adopted daughter. She was still, curled right beside Elsa. She could see her friend just had she saw her in a time not so long ago. Where she had already lost her cub to the scavenging stripped dogs. Now the little girl she had adopted, baring the wound that had taken so many lives of the many animals of the could imagine the pain she was going through.

"Diata?" she said.

The white lioness did not even turn to look back at them. All she wanted was for her to be here with her daughter. Sarabi frowned, she could understand how hurt she was by Elsa's state. It was apparent that she wanted to be alone. The lioness queen turned to face Sarafina.

"We should go." she said.

Sarafina looked to Diata and Elsa. She wanted to help however she could, but even she knew that it was best to leave Diata alone with her adopted daughter.

Far from the lions den, Zazu was soaring high above the jungle in search of help for Elsa. He gazed down below at the small openings through the countless green leaves that covered every tree from miles and beyond. From all directions her looked for someone who could help Elsa. Yet so far there wasn't a soul in sight to be seen. The blue majordomo was becoming even more desperate as before.

Yet right at that moment, some luck was to be found. Zazu then spotted Mufassa down below. The browned red maned lion was walking down a path way through the jungle. The bird the gasped. The king needed to be aware of the crisis.

"Mufassa!"

Zazu swooped down from the air and toward the lion. The alpha upon hearing the calling of his most trusted advisor stopped and turned his head back to gaze behind him. The alpha lion saw the blue bird fly down and land before him.

"Oh sire, thank goodness I found you!" He said in an deeply concerned voice, turning to the large lion.

"There is a great urgency!"

"Zazu, calm down." said the lion, seeing the bird so worked up.

"What has happened?"

"It's Elsa!" The domo explained in a panicked voice.

"She... she's been badly wounded!'

Mufassa widened his eyes in shock.

"What!" He said.

"Where is she?!"

"Last I saw, she and her mother were heading back to the den." said Zazu, thinking back when he saw them at the river.

Mufassa turned back the way he came. What was a relief to him was that they were back with the pride. Before he departed for his pride, he first turned back to Zazu. With Elsa in such peril from the wound, then they were going to be in need of help from the jungle's healer, the old Mandrill, Rafiki.

"Zazu, go and find Rafiki!" He ordered.

"Yes sire!" he said just before he flew off into the sky.

Mufassa then ran back from where he had came. The alpha lion charged at great speed, passing tree after tree. It wasn't long before he had returned to the den of his pride. The large alpha came into the clearing from the jungle trees and back up onto the surface of smooth warm rock. He gazed toward the cave entrance to where he sees Simba and Nala stare toward the cave entrance. Sarabi and Sarafina walked out from the cave, bot bared a looked of concern and sadness Mufassa could only imagine the worst.

The large alpha walked up toward the cave and approached the two lionesses. Sarabi and Sarafina turn and saw Mufassa coming before them.

"Mufassa." said Sarabi, his presence so desired at this very time of grief.

"Zazu told me." He said, knowing the great tragic occurrence.

"What happened to her?"

Neither his queen or Sarafina could tell. The answer barred such horror, none of them could even bared to say. Mufassa grew even more nervous and afraid as before.

"Sarabi?" he said again, begging her to tell the answer.

The lioness queen then spoke but the only word she had heard.

"Man." she said.

From that word, the large lion barred silence and taken by surprise.

"What?!" he said

Simba came by his father's side, gazing up to to him. He was in a great mindset of fear and guilt. For all, he was the reason this all had happened. He continuously blamed himself for Elsa being shot. His only hope was that she had passed on.

"Dad, she's not..."

Mufassa gazed down to Simba. He could hear the ping of concern in his voice, from a very look at the young prince's concerned expression written upon his face. The king turned to face his son. He knew that Simba was consumed with such fear, how he must place the blame of Elsa's fate on himself. Mufassa could not let his son be some consumed by a tragedy that was of none of his doing.

"No, son." he said.

"She is not."

Simba tried to tell himself that was the truth. Yet still it wasn't enough to cleanse his guilt. The young prince narrowed his head downwards, his eyes narrowed. What if his father was mistaken, what if Elsa did die? It would be such an unthinkable occurrence, Simba couldn't for a second imagine that would happen. As Simba dwelled in his guilt, the pain he was facing was shared by another in a greater amount.

As day turned to evening, Diata had still refused to leave Elsa's side. In the shadows deep within the cave, The white lioness continued to stay curled next to her adopted daughter. She gazed down to the motionless body. What followed from this horrible sight were feelings of great pain. To see her daughter this way was but an unbearable thought and sight to be seen on its own. But what was the most terrible fact of this whole thing was that it was done by Elsa's own kind.

Never could she have imagine that they would do such a thing like that. How could that man have just shot a poor girl-cub like Elsa. Tales of man had never described them to be of that cruelty, to have killed a cub, Especially that of their own. This was far worse than what she possibly could have imagined.

The lioness's sorrow was then ceased by the entering of the prides ruler. Mufassa walked inside the cave and barred sight to the mother and daughter. He saw Elsa laying unconscious on the stone platform. Embedded in her shoulder was a blood-red wound of a guns bullet, that had plunged through her shoulder. Mufassa could only stand there, staring with such shock and was left with feelings of sympathy for the girl-cub. Mufassa shifted his sight to Diata. She was curled right up next to her adopted daughter's side. The majestic king was left to a familiar sight of the lioness's pain. For here was another of her young was in such peril. This was something that was too familiar to him.

His one hope was that Diata would not suffer another loss of a child. However, there was a new hope for the the wild girl that was soon to come.

(**I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter, If anyone has any requests or ideas they would like to share, feel free to share. And as always, please comment and review!)**


	18. Chapter 18

As Mufassa watched the suffering mother, he was then directed to the sound of a staff tapping the ground. The Alfa turned back and saw a white bearded mandril, holding onto a long staff with two hard ball shaped objects, that hung from the very top. Mufassa was but so relieved by the sight, his presence never so needed then this very time of grief.

"Rafiki!" he said turning to face the old, wise mandrill.

"Mufassa, my friend." He said, placing his right hand on his chest, he took a bow before the king.

"A blue bird has come to warn me of a crisis."

Mufassa turned back toward Elsa and Diata. Rafiki looked as well. To what he was shown, horror and grief to a mother. Such a young girl cub, lying atop the stone surface of the stone plate form, so motionless. Her mother at her side in tears and such shame. The tall standing baboon frowned.

"Oh..."

The lion turned to face.

"Rafiki." he said.

"I ask for you help. I have already asked her once to let go of her first child. I wish not to do the same to Elsa."

The wise shaman set his hand upon Mufassa shoulder. He too loved Elsa as the animals of the jungle, nor could he bare for Diata to lose another. To whatever pain has been place upon the wild girl, he knew of but one solution to her pain.

"As you wish, my friend." He said.

Rafiki turned and crawled upon his two feet and his free right hand. The jungle's wise shaman

came before the mother and daughter. He gazed to the two, witnessing more of their undeserved suffering. Diata laid as still as that of her daughter, never once since she removed her sight to anything. All she wanted at the moment was to be here for her adopted daughter.

"Diata?" the mandril spoke.

For a moment, the white lioness was without a single movement to respond. Yet through some encouragement, she turned her head to the tall baboon. Upon seeing the mandril, the desperate mother saw what was hope for her daughter.

"Rafiki!" She said.

The mandril bowed his head to her. As he came to face her again, he turned to her adopted child. Upon seeing Elsa, He came up to her side and came to face the bullet wound on her shoulder. He set his hand upon the wound and was marked with her red blood. Rafiki brought his hand close to his nose. He sniffed in the red liquid, the scent to follow widened the Mandrills eyes.

He had once encountered this before. The wound that came from the thunder sound of man's gun. Never could he think that man would fire upon their own cubs.

"Man...?" He said staring down to the blood over his hand.

The mandrill looked toward the white lioness. So shocked by this discovery, he was so confined to believe such a thing. Although the answer he was given was of nothing to deny this horrible truth. Diata simple closed her eyes and turned away.

"Ohhh." he said turning to Elsa.

The mandrill set his hand upon her forehead. He slowly draped downward to her light, blond hair.

"Poor child." he moaned.

Diata gazed up to the mandrill. She wanted nothing more than to help her daughter, this was her only chance. She couldn't bear losing her as she did her first cub. She spoke up to the white bearded Mandrill.

"Rafiki."

The blue faced baboon looked up to the white lioness.

"Hm?" he responded.

"Is she...?" the lioness asked curiously.

Rafiki gazed down at Elsa. Loss was but an occurrence to Diata. Already, she was forced to live on without the cub she had bred before. Now it was, that Diata may suffer even more if she lost Elsa. As a friend to both, he found no compassion for either of their sufferings to come to pass.

Rafiki placed his hand upon the girl's heart. Upon the feeling of her chest, there came one beat from her young heart.

"No." He said gazing up at the lioness.

"She is not. But her wound is still great."

The white lioness sighed, closing her eyes.

"Rafiki." she said softly.

"Please, I beg of you, please help my daughter."

Wounds from that of man have been treated before, and Rafiki knew of this healing solution. For her amongst the jungle, there hides away a cure, a solution to pain such as this. It is but a rare herb that hides within the dense crowd of trees.

"You will not suffer another loss." Said the mandrill, promising what would be the impossible.

Rafiki then turned and dashed away to the cave entrance. Diata looked in shock and confusion. He had promised to help her daughter. Why did he even dare to leave them?

"Wait, where are you going?" Diata asked curiously.

Rafiki turned back to the white lioness.

"Don't worry." he said.

"Rafiki shall return!"

The tall standing baboon the ran outside of the cave. Diata laid there in silence. She prayed that wherever Rafiki was off to, would be the answer of their situation. The white lioness gazed down to Elsa. So concerned of how she was doing, her state of mind was consumed with such fear. Meanwhile, Mufassa and the others were waiting outside the cave. Mufassa continued to share out into the hole through the stone hill. He awaited for any such word or sight of Rafiki and Diata.

The alfa then sited Rafiki coming out from the cave. His hopes were that he would bring word of Elsa. As the Mandrill came face to face, he stopped before Mufassa.

"How is she?" Mufassa asked, curious and worried.

From at the back end of Mufassa, Simba was standing. The the young prince listened to their discussion of Elsa.

"She is fine, my friend." Rafiki answered.

"Her wound is not so fatal."

Mufassa sighed in relief. He was so thankful to know that Elsa was safe.

"Don't be so concerned, Mufassa." said the baboon.

"I know what may help her."

Rafiki carried on his ways. Mufassa turned and gazed in his direction. The Mandrill made his way down to the jungles edge. Afterwords he disappeared into the lush forest. On his venture, Rafiki scurried his way. The mandril climbed up the trunk of a tree and leaped up to the the high branch. Climbing up onto the limb, Rafiki them leaped off and grabbed a nearby vine. He swung toward the next tree. After a short while of moving above ground, Rafiki landed in a high, split limbed tree. Gazing below from the large gap between them.

In between the roots of the next tree, stood a small green herb. Rafiki gasped in joy. He came through the gape and then leaped down to the jungle floor. Rafiki approached the small green plant.

"Ah, here you are." he said.

Is the very essence of the jungle, there was but one so unknown to man-kind. What grew within the tropical forest, a rare herb hides away in it's midst. Only known by so many animals of the jungle, as well as the mandrill. The herb was known to be a cure for those sick and wounded in the wild.

Many Of those, wounded by the guns of man, were healed by this herb. Rafiki knew this was but the one chance for her to be relieved from her wound. The mandrill took hold of the step and pulled the herb from the ground.

Rafiki then turned and journeyed back to the pride.

(**I hope you all enjoyed this chapter, the next one is undoubtedly the one you've been waiting for, so I'm going to get to it soon. And as always, please comment and review!)**


	19. Chapter 19

Diata waited patiently in the dark, silence of the cave. Her very anticipation would Rafiki would hurry back with whatever help for Elsa. But waiting was the last thing she wanted to do at the moment. Every passing second, the more concerned she felt for Elsa's well-being. While it was not fatal, she was still in grave danger from the bullet of the gun.

It was revival for her to know that Elsa was still alive. But it was time that was dimming that hope for her. At the entrance of the cave, Mufassa walked inside the stone shelter. Simba followed his father inside, yet did not step a paw forward inside. Mufassa turned to his son.

"Simba." he said.

"Wait outside."

Simba was opposed to his father's request. The young prince was waiting for too long for Elsa to come through. He wanted to see her.

"But.. Dad... I want to see her."

"No, my son." Mufassa explained.

"This is not the time to see her."

Simba narrowed his eyes, disappointingly.

"Okay." he said just before he turned and walked away back out from the cave.

The lion stood and gazed upon his son departing from him. He could understand how his son was feeling. He cared for his friend, he was only trying to do what he could to help. But the best thing he could do for her is to give her time. She needed to heal from her wound. Though, wound was not just the bullet indent through her shoulder.

Mufasa turned back to Diata. Knowing what was the littlest explanation to Elsa's state. He wanted to know of the full truth of the matter.

The reddish brown lion came up before the white lioness. So eager to know of the truth, she knew it was best to hear from her.

"Diata?' he said.

The white lioness gazed back toward the alpha lion.

"Mufassa." she said.

While glad for his presence, she head little need for it. Being alone was but her one desire.

"Please, I must ask you to go." She said in a manner of respect to king.

"I mean to be alone."

"I didn't mean to disturb you." said Mufassa.

"I only came to know."

The white lioness became curious.

"Know what?" asked Diata.

"Is it true?" he questioned.

"Was it man that did this?"

The white lioness frowned, knowing was there for her to see. The truth shown in her eyes and it was more horrible to be believed. Still at the time of the occurrence, she could still hear that that echoing roar of the gun. What followed was her daughter crying out in pain. What was the most unthinkable thing was that it was man who had done this.

"Yes." she clarified in a softly tone.

The answer was but a stunning shock to the alpha. Tales of the human-kind, the cruelty to the beings of the wild, never could Mufassa think they would do such a thing. While it was known for man to do such an act, never could he think that man would commit a murdering act of that of their own cubs.

"How could this be?" Mufassa said despairingly.

"I don't know?" answered Diata shaking her head before she looked to Elsa.

With a known factor like this, the lion was of the mindset of the danger that lies on the other side. The threat of man was clear as the shifting day, and now they present a threat to Elsa. By the time he thought, Rafiki came storming back into the cave.

"Ha, Ha!" He cheered with such great joy.

Mufassa looked back and saw the tall standing baboon charge in from the outside.

"I found it, I found it!"

"Rafiki?" He said.

The over-excited baboon turns to the king.

"Mufassa." he said turning to the king.

"I found what could heal Elsa."

Rafiki opened his hand and revealed the herb to the two lions. Mufassa was but left surprised. So too was Diata.

"The herb?" he said, having to have heard of the plant before.

Rafiki nodded his head yes. Diata couldn't help but smile gratefully. There may yet still be some hope left for her daughter's survival. Rafiki came up at the side of the plate form. The baboon sat upon the solid ground, his legs crossed over over one another. He took a round fruit from off his staff and held in both hands above his head. The mandrill then pulled and broke it into two. Rafike set one piece down before him. After Which, the mandrill took the herb from his side and threw it into the open fruit bowl.

Rafiki looked left and right till he saw a chunk of stone, lying at the side of the stone platform. The mandrill took hold of the stone and then began crushing the plant. He slammed the ends of the rock down onto the thing green plan, turning it to mush.

"Will this work?" Mufassa asked curiously, having to never see the erb be treated to anyone.

"Mufassa, my friend." He said.

"You mustn't be so worried. I have used this cure in past times."

Once Rafiki was done, he place the rock down upon the cave floor. He then picked up the bowl and came up to Elsa. Rafiki looked and reached in with his free hand, dipping his fingers into the green mush. He then placed it over the bullet wound shoulder. He covered the redness of the pullets path.

After he finished, Rafiki gazed up at Diata.

"She'll be okay." he reassured her.

The white lioness smiled and sighed in relief.

"Thank you, Rafiki." She said.

"Thank you, so much."

The shamen nodded his head in gratitude. He gazed down to Elsa and rubbed the top of the girls head.

"I am happy to help." he said.

Diata looked down at Elsa. With the antidote provided by the mandrill shaman, her hope for her daughters chance would come full circle. This was the the defining moment, the fate of Elsa would soon be answered. The day had faded into the deep time of night. The sky's so darkened from the world outside. Within the den, most of the pride took shelter for rest, others were out on a hunt for prey. Among the few in the cave, Sarabi and Sarafina slept. Right at their sides, Simba and Nala were snuggled next to them. Both so caught up within their dreams. Mufassa was settled right next to his family.

It was quite within their den of stone. Even Diata had faded to her slumber beside Elsa. Yet at this very moment, there would be one who would awaken. There came a slight moaning from the wild girl. The sound had reached the ears of her mother. Diata open her eyes and raised her head from her paws. She gazed down with anticipation. Was this...

"Elsa..." she whispered.

The girl's eyes squinted, before they slowly open back up. The first sight to be shown was the white lioness who had cared for her in this jungle.

"Mama...?" she said.

From the sound of her daughter's voice, Diata eyes were filled with the tears of joy, sobbing. She thought that perhaps she was dreaming. But it was not. Her daughter had finally returned to her.

"Elsa!" she said.

The wild girl sat back up, wincing a bit from the pain of her shoulder. Diata leaned in and nuzzled her little girl cub. Finally, the fear and despair that clouded her. It was now replaced with joy and happiness once again. Her daughter was alive.

"I thought I lost you." her mother sobbed.

Elsa place her hand at the back of her mother's neck. She stayed close against her mother, listening to her purr.

"Mama." she said as closed her eyes.

From their seulement, tears emerged. Like a river they rush down her cheek.

(**I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. I was hoping to finally get to this point. So, I'm going to be away from this story for a bit. I'm going to be focusing on school and my other works. If you all have any requests, feel free to share. and as always, please comment and review!)**


	20. Chapter 20

Mufassa came up on his four paws and came before the lioness. Diata turned and gazed up to him. With such an expression upon her face, this could only mean the best of his thoughts. Mufassa looked down to Elsa. He was glad to know of Elsa's well being to be safe of death. Though even now, he could only think of how much danger she was in, by the hands of her own kind. It was clear to the alfa that it was dangerous for the girl cub to be here in the jungle alone, but now her own kind. Mufassa couldn't be met with that thought.

It would now seem that it was dangerous for her to be near humans.

Far back to the campsite, inside the main cabin, Jack was lying in his bed, wide awake. The white covers were draped over his body; he had his two hand laying under the back of his head. The young white haired boy thought about the wild girl he had met in the jungle. He was feeling a mist of disappointment that she had left, although there wasn't a choice for her and her lioness mother at the time. North was shooting at them both.

He tried to stop his uncle, but by that time, they were already gone. Afterwards, Uncle North brought him back to camp. He was concerned at the fact that Jack had broken his leg. Now there was no way to go on that hike as North had planned. But at this moment, Jack was not so concerned at that. He was more concerned about where Elsa was now and if he would ever see her again.

She had helped him when he was hurt, if it wasn't for her, who knows what would happen to him. He kind of thought that they could be friends. But that chance, seemed to slip away. As Jack continued to ponder, the door to the other room opened and Aunt Tooth walked in. She looked to see her young Nephew wide awake.

"Good morning, Jack." she said.

Jack turned his head to his aunt.

"Hey Aunt Tooth." said the white haired boy.

Tooth closed the door behind her. She turned back and walked up to her nephew's bed.

"You uncle told your mom and dad what happened." she said.

Jack sighed and flung his hands in front of him.

"Great." said Jack, knowing they were going to be so freaked out by this. They were already at each other's throats, now this would add to the flames.

"Hey, don't worry." said Tooth, rubbing the top of his head.

"It's going to be alright."

Those were words he had heard so many times, but they never appear to come through. He was about tired of hearing them.

"I'll go get you some breakfast." said Tooth as she turned and walked away.

"Hey Aunt Tooth." Jack said.

The browned haired women stopped and looked back at her nephew.

"Yeah?" she asked curiously.

Jack was curious by Elsa. With a girl living in the jungle, he was curious to know if Tooth or North knew anything about it. They had explored much of the jungle in the past; did they know anything about her at all?

"Could I ask something?" asked the boy.

Tooth turned around to face toward the boy.

"Sure, what do you want to ask?" She asked.

"Well, have you seen a girl in the jungle when you and Uncle North went exploring?"

Tooth stood curiously at the boy. She wasn't expecting a question such as that.

"A girl in the jungle?" she asked.

Jack nodded his head yes.

"Uh... I've seen a monkey or two." she said.

"But none of them looked like a girl."

"Oh, never mind." said Jack, knowing she didn't have a clue what he was talking about.

"Well ok." said Tooth as she turned and walked to the front door of the cabin.

As the morning continued, Elsa, who was still sleeping, began opening her eyes, waking from her slumber. Diata was still lying at her side and watching as her adopted cub.

"Elsa." she said, greeting the awakening cub.

Elsa began to lean up from the solid stone ground under her. She suddenly, flinched at the sudden pain in her arm. She gave a small gasp. Elsa looked and saw the bullet wound through her shoulder.

"Ow." she said

"Try not to move it too much." said Diata.

Elsa looked to her mother.

"Wha- what happened?" the wild girl asked, curious of the wound in her shoulder.

Diata frowned upon her daughter asking her. The answer was far unbearable to say then she thinks. She couldn't find any other way to explained to her daughter what happened. Elsa saw her mother was looking so upset. The wild girl began looking in such awe.

"Mama?" she asked, wondering why she looked so sad.

Diata looked back up at her daughter. She couldn't keep this from Elsa, she had to know what happened.

"Elsa..." she said softly.

For a moment, she gazed into her daughter's blue eyes. The very look of such innocence of this cub.

"Do you remember what happened?"

Elsa thought back to the other day. All that came to mind was that they were returning Jack home and then they were being shot at by his uncle.

"Yeah." answered the wild girl.

"That man was chasing us with his gun... and..."

Elsa couldn't remember anything afterwards, only the sound of the man's gun, echoing its loud roar.

"Do you remember anything else?"

Elsa shook her head no.

"No." said Elsa.

The white lioness gave a small sigh, she could no longer keep the truth away from her. She needed to know what had happened.

"Elsa, there's something you need to know." she said.

Elsa looked curiously at her mother.

"What?" Elsa said.

"Elsa... that man he... he nearly killed you." Diata explained to her little cub.

From hearing her mother's words, the wild girl was left shocked. For one so young as her, it was but a shock and a confusing thing to hear.

"What?" asked the girl curiously.

Elsa narrowed her eyes, trying to fathom how this. She was confused to why the man would try to hurt her. They were of the same kind, and Jack said he was his uncle. Why would he do such a thing like that?

"But why?"

Diata looked away. She herself was questioned to why it would happen. It was known for humans to break the law of hunting, for one is to never kill without a purpose. Man has opposed the law and killed for sport, though they never were know to ever hurt their own cubs. Her mother's silence was so disturbing to girl.

Elsa looked from her mother, pondering to herself. Baloo said that humans were the most dangerous predator known to the jungle, it would appear to be were the hunters that killed for pleasure. The hard part she had to know was that they would go so far as to do to her as the rest of the people of the jungle.

"Elsa?"

From hearing the voice, Elsa looked back to the cave entrance. There she saw Simba standing just passed the opening hole of the cave. She turned around to the yellow fur cub.

"Simba!" she said.

"Can I come in?" asked the young prince, looking to Diata.

Being awake, Simba wanted to see Elsa so badly. Diata knew this to be true. They were close friends and there wasn't a reason for him not to. She nodded her head yes.

"Of course." said the white lioness, allowing the presence of the prince.

Simba came up to the plate form and climbed up upon the smooth stone surface. He faced toward Elsa, feeling so regretful and ashamed to what he had done. The young prince sat before the wild girl. He sat with a sad expression upon his face.

"Hey." he said, sitting down in front of Elsa.

"Hey Simba." said Elsa.

Looking to Elsa, the young prince let out a small sigh. Seeing her before, so badly hurt, the prince was in such guilt and torment from his choice, His pride and curiosity had just endangered one of his friends. He closed his eyes and lowered his head.

"Elsa... I'm so sorry." he said.

Elsa looked to Simba, so doleful.

"I was just try to… I didn't mean for this to happen."

"Simba." said Diata.

"No." said the cub, knowing that all the blame was on him.

"This all because of me. If I hadn't had crossed the river this wouldn't had happen to Elsa."

Simba began sobbing a bit.

"She almost died because of me. It's all my fault."

Simba narrowed his head as his tears dripped from his close eyes.

"I'm sorry, Elsa." He said.

"Can you please forgive me?"

Elsa came up to young lion prince. There was nothing for her to forgive. Being the closest of friends, she didn't blame Simba for all that happened. It wasn't his fault; he only wanted to explore the other side of the river. It was only one mistake on his part. With that entire aside, he was still her best friend and she cared a great deal for him, as he did for her.

The wild girl then wrapped her arms around Simba and hugged him tight, showing him that she has forgiven him. Simba had a look of surprised at first, he looked to Elsa as she continued to hold him tight. He began to smile gladly, shutting his eyes and laid his head down on her shoulder.

(**I hope you all enjoyed this chapter, if there are any requests or ideas for this story, please feel free to share. And as always, please comment and review!)**


	21. Chapter 21

A few days had passed; Jack hadn't seen Elsa since that day. But the chances of ever seeing her again, were now slight. From the cabin, Uncle North was walking down to his jeep, carrying Anna and Jack's things. He set them inside the open tailgate. It was time for him and his sister to return home. The white bearded man turned to the cabin.

"Come on, everybody!" he called out.

"We need to get to the city if we are going to catch that flight."

Aunt Tooth and Anna walked outside the cabin door.

"I don't want to go now." said Anna, looking up at her aunt.

Tooth looked down to her five year old niece. She could understand that wanted to say with her and uncle, she loved the company of her sister-in-laws children. But their parents had come to the decision that they were to come back, simply due to Jack's injury.

"But don't you want to see you Mommy and daddy?" Tooth asked, looking at the little five year old.

"Yeah, but...can't we stay a little longer." Anna asked.

"I like it here."

Uncle North came up to her niece.

"Aw, don't be so sad, Anna." said the white bearded man, as he kneeled down to the girl.

"You and your brother are always free to come and visit us again."

He rubbed the top of her head with his big hand. He then stood up and looked toward the doorway of the cabin. He saw Jack, making his way out the door with the help of the staff Elsa had given him. He hopped on his one good foot, using the thin wooden staff in the place of his injured leg. He hopped down the three plank wood steps and toward the jeep. Though along the way, he stopped and looked to the jungle that was behind the other three cabins.

He sighed, knowing that he may not be given a chance to see Elsa again. Though it was whether his parents had settled their argument that was the more mindset of the young boy.

"Jack!" said North as he came up to his nephew.

"Come now, we can't waste any time."

North took the staff from the boy and came to his side, putting his arm around the boy's shoulder.

"Your mother is going to be so eager for you to be home." said North, looking down to the boy.

"You've got her so worried with you leg and all."

Jack sighed; he wasn't looking forward about going home. For the most part, he wasn't sure what to expect. His mom and dad must still be upset with each other, the nights of hearing them argue, or even dad leaving the house for an entire night. He knew that it may not be the end of it. Jack and North came to the back left door of the jeep. North opened the door and Jack hopped closer and turned around, sitting upon the seat. He turned himself around, bringing his injured right leg in first. Once he was settled, his uncle closed the door.

"Do you think things will be better when we get home?" Anna asked looking to her older brother.

Jack turned to his little sister. He wasn't sure entirely, but he had some hope that it was going to be better.

"I think it will be." he said, looking to his little sister with a smile.

Jack then turned and stared out the window. He looked out to the jungle once more, wondering where Elsa was and if she was alright. North climbed into the driver seat and started the engine.

"Alright, we're off." said North and he began driving down the trail from camp.

Far back in the jungle, to the den of the lions, Elsa had been kept in the cave until her wound had fully healed. Diata left not dared to leave her side, only on times to bring her daughter some food to eat. It was here, the mother lioness had returned from a hunt with the other lionesses. She dragged the carcass of a gazelle to the lair, it being possible food for her and her daughter.

As the white lioness pulled along her catch of the day, it was then she heard a voice call her.

"Diata?"

She stopped and turned to see it was Kala. The brown fur gorilla came up, carrying some fruit in her left arm. Diata set down the gazelle.

"Kala." she said.

The gorilla came before Diata.

"I've heard about what happened." said Kala.

"Is she alright?"

Diata nodded to her.

"She's fine, Kala." answered Diata.

"But it was too close; I almost lost her like I had lost…"

Kala looked to her in sympathy, knowing what she was going to say.

"Pora?" asked Kala.

Hearing her first daughter's name, the lioness cringed. The memories of her first cub was but all she had left of her. She had loved Pora with all her heart, just as much as she loved Elsa. When she lost Pora to the hyenas, her world was shattered and hope was but so little. Only when she had found Elsa, was when she was given another chance. She couldn't bear to lose Elsa as she did Pora.

Kala saw Diata look so pained at hearing her lost cub's name.

"I'm sorry." said Kala, knowing that she had overstepped by bringing Pora up.

"It's alright." said Diata.

Diata looked to the cave where her adopted daughter was waiting.

"I only want to keep Elsa safe." she said to Kala.

"But I can't protect her from the world outside. Now she's been hurt by her own kind and I couldn't stop it."

Diata blamed herself for all this, for her daughter being in peril. She shut her eyes, and narrowed her head with great sorrow.

"None of that was your fault, Diata." said Kala.

"If it wasn't' for you, she would have perished."

Diata turned to Kala. She was truthful about that, if she hadn't been there like before, who knows what would happen.

"Elsa is lucky to have you as her mother." said Kala, knowing it to be true.

Diata smiled gratefully. To have such a kind friend like Kala was appreciated to the fullest, since the time of their childhood to now, where she has helped her raise Elsa.

"Thank you, Kala." she said.

The brown fur gorilla nodded her head to her. Diata turned and picked up the body of the gazelle by its neck. She looked to Kala and shrugged her head to the cave, telling her to follow.

Upon the stone plate form, Elsa was sitting along with Simba and Nala. Sarafina lay below, safeguarding the three cubs until Diata returned.

"So the leopard chased after you?" Nala said.

Elsa nodded.

"He chased all the way down the hill." Elsa explained.

"How did you get away?" Simba asked curiously.

"Well…someone kind of scared him away." Elsa answered.

"Really?" Nala said.

"Who?"

"You remembered what Baloo was talking about?" Elsa asked curiously.

The two lion cubs shook their heads yes.

"You saw one?" Simba said, with great anticipation.

"Ah-huh." Elsa said.

"Oh, cool!" Said Simba,

From the entrance of cave, Diata and Kala walked into the stone den. Elsa looked and saw her adopted mother and Kala coming up to the plate form.

"Mama, Kala." said the wild girl, turning to her mother.

Kala climbed up and sat before the wild girl.

"Why, hello Elsa." said the female gorilla.

"How are you doing?"

"I'm fine." Elsa answered.

"I brought you some fruit." said Kala setting down the few melons and mangos.

Elsa smiled and gasped with delight. She took hold of a melon and looked up to Kala.

"Thank you, Kala." She said.

Kala nodded to the wild came up on the plate form, dragging the gazelle up on the stone surface. She let go of the corpse's neck and looked to her adopted child.

"What are you three cubs talking about?" Asked Diata,

"Elsa was telling us about what she saw on the other side of the river." said Nala.

"Oh, well, can you tell what you saw over the river?" asked Kala.

Elsa was but silent for a moment. She thought about what had happened, when she met Jack.

"Well… I saw someone." Elsa begun.

"She saw a man." Simba said.

Kala looked to Simba.

"Man!" She said.

"A-huh!" said Nala.

"Well, not really." said Elsa.

"Oh….?" said Kala.

"I saw a cub like me?" said Elsa.

"A cub?" asked Kala.

Elsa nodded her head.

"His name was Jack." said Elsa.

"He got hurt and I helped him, then…"

Elsa was silence once more; she frowned, remembering what had happened. Even now, the sound of the gun firing, it sent an unerring feeling for the girl. She turned and looks the bullet wound in her shoulder, what looked to be a dark mark of hatred, cruelty on the part of her own kind. Diata looked to her adopted daughter. She could see how horrified and sadden by the action taken by Jack's uncle.

"No, it's okay, dear." said Kala

"You don't need to tell me."

Elsa narrowed her head, feeling so sad about the day that had passed day. Diata looked to Kala, who looked to her.

"I think we shouldn't discuss what happened." said Diata.

"We won't go back on the other side of the river… never again."


	22. Chapter 22

**The words of Kaa**

The entire month had passed by since the Elsa had last saw Jack, The wild girl had been confined to the cave, due to the peril of the gunshot wound, embedded in her shoulder. Through all that time, the pain and the mark began to fade away and relieve Elsa. But that was not the pain that left such a great impact upon the jungle girl. It was now apparent to her that she had now been exiled of her own kind. But what was the most drastic thing to come to grips with was the separated from Jack.

It was upon meeting him that was a moment that barred great remembrance to her. It was the first time since the beginning of her life in the jungle, when she was reunited with her own kind. It was becoming what could be a great friendship with the boy. But that friendship was only to face a very tragic occurrence. The roar of the gun and the very strike of death it had almost brought upon her.

For every creature of the jungle, it was that very weapon of man that was the greatest fear. Now it was brought upon the young girl in an excruciating way, it apparent to her that she was like a wild animal to them. It was that factor that hurt the most. Her own kind was now rejected her.

Deep within the stone shelter, Elsa sits between the two front legs of her lioness mother, as she sticks her tongue up the girl's arm, cleaning her from all the dirt and such.

Elsa felt Diata lick her upwards. All the while, the wild girl filched at the feeling.

"Mama." She said.

"Hold still, you." said Diata as she began to lick the side of her neck.

Diata moved up and began work on her bleach blond hair. Elsa tried desperately, to stay still as her mother stroked her braided hair with her rough tongue.

"Mama." she said, having trouble with dealing with the tugging feeling of her hair.

"Just hold still." she said.

"I'm almost done."

Diata continued to lick the top of her adopted daughter's head, her hair tugged as the lionesses tong went across. After a few more times, she finally stopped. To Elsa, it was such a relief. Being raised by lions, the one thing she never did like was having a bath, in their way to be exact. Being licked cleaned all the time, it felt gross. Though the worst part was how rough it was. Her skin was not as big a deal, by her hair was another story.

"That really hurt." she said, having to feel the constant tugging.

"I know it did." said Diata, knowing herself what it was like to be bathed in such a manner.

"I wasn't so keen of it either."

Elsa rubbed her head, trying to clear away the pain. Diata simply chuckled, remembering how she felt when her mother gave her a bath. He mother when cleaning her always tugged on her white fur. It was so irritating having to put up with it. After Elsa had finished, she looked back up at Diata.

"Hey mom, can I go play?" she asked.

"I feel better and my arm doesn't hurt anymore."

Diata frowned, pondering if it was a good idea to let Elsa leave the cave. She wasn't at all convinced she would disobey her again, it was because of her want for Elsa to be safe that was the major blockade for the answer yes. She had already come close to losing Elsa by man; she couldn't give another chance for that to happen.

"I don't know." said Diata.

"Please?" Elsa begged.

Diata saw her daughter was so anxious to be outside. She couldn't just keep Elsa in the cave because she is frightened that something happened. Elsa had the right to be free in the jungle like all the other cubs in the pride.

"Well... alright." said Diata.

Elsa gasped excitedly. She came and hugged her mother tightly.

"Thank you, mama." she said.

Diata looked down to her adopted daughter, smiling at the sight of her joy. As Elsa departed from her, Diata nuzzled the young wild girl. Afterwards, Elsa got up and ran out of the cave entrance. The wild girl came outside of the stone shelter and hurried down to the jungle below, passing by a few lionesses along the way. After of which, the wild girl disappeared into the tropic woods.

Elsa raced through the jungle, hoping that he would perhaps find Simba and Nala.

"Simba." she called out, hoping that they were somewhere nearby.

"Nala!"

There was no answer by the two cubs. Elsa turned and began to walk in another direction.

"Guys!"

There was still no answer. Elsa looked up to a tree at the side. It was perhaps the best way to find them is from above in the tree. The wild girl turned and began to climb up the tree to the high branches pulled herself up upon a high branch, gazing down below to the jungle floor. There was nothing to be seen, even with the view from higher in the tree, she still wouldn't see them cause of all the green leaves of the tree.

If it was in that case, then she would have to keep moving through the jungle to find her two friends. The wild girl walked along the tree branch, coming to a hanging vine. Elsa reached out and grabbed onto the vine. She leapt from the branch, swinging over to the next tree. She landed on the branch of the tree ahead, just as she let the previous vine go, she grabbed a new one and continued to swing deeper into the jungle.

One of the most fun things in her jungle life was vine swinging. It felt like the closest way to fly and was even the fastest way to get around in her tropical home. When she would be hanging around the apes or even monkeys for that matter, Elsa always played on the high tree ropes, swinging back and forth. Kala would sometimes push her.

Elsa swung up to a vine ahead. The wild girl reached out her right hand and grabbed hold, swinging further ahead. Elsa resumed swinging further into the jungle, when she finally stopped at a tree. The jungle girl landed upon the branch, releasing the vine as she settled on the tree branch. Elsa gazed downward at the jungle, seeing if she could see Simba or Nala.

But she couldn't see them anywhere. Elsa looked forward and saw a small shine just ahead. The wild girl squinted, trying to keep a good sight of to whatever it was.

"What is that?" She asked herself.

With her growing curiosity, Elsa looked forward to and hanging vine. She grabbed hold and leaped onto the branch, beginning to climb down to the jungle floor. As she drew closer, she leaped down and landed in a crouching formation.

Elsa stood up, looking ahead at the shining. She began to slowly creep toward it. She came into the lush green plants, pushing through them to get a better view. She saw something moving far ahead. Elsa ducked down, peering through the openings through the lush jungle plants. She saw the shining of light reappear. Elsa gazed toward the small shine ahead, till then.

Bang!

The roar echoed through the jungle, Elsa jumped in fear, her young eyes so opened wide. The sound, the roar of man's could feel her very heart beat in her chest, it felt like it was racing so much. She felt stunned, hearing that sound once more. Another roar was lead out once more. Elsa went back a bit at its occurrence. The horrifying memories that happened across the river came flooding back to her, when she and her mother scattering through the jungle as they tried to escape man's wrath.

Elsa could not bear another burden as that. The wild girl quickly turned and began to run back the way she came. She took no time to stop, not even to look back. Elsa plowed through the lush vegetation, passing by tree after tree. She had far distance herself from the site of the roar, but couldn't for a moment stop for anything.

Elsa came to a clearing from the jungle plants, when suddenly; she caught her foot upon something and tripped over, landing on the ground. Elsa slowly picked herself up. As she did, she felt her legs were draped over something. It felt… scaly and fat. She looked back to whatever her legs were draped over. What she saw, was the end tail of a snake, a large snake. Elsa gasped as she turned herself around and back away. She saw the tail slither behind the tree trunk.

The light blond jungle girl got back on her feet, gazing to the place she had saw the snake's tail. For a moment, the jungle was silent, not a sound could be heard. Elsa slowly backed away, looking left and right, but not a single animal could be seen. Elsa felt so warm and cold inside at the same time.

"Hello?" she said.

It was then a voice came to answer. It sounded to be a female's voice, one that sounded seductive and yet motherly.

"Hello."

Elsa turned looking all around.

"Is someone there?" she asked.

The voice answered again.

"I'm here."

Elsa looked all around.

"Where are you?" Elsa said.

"Are you alone out here?" voice questioned again.

"What isssss a poor little cub like you, doing sssso far in the jungle?"

The wild girl looked all around.

"I'm looking for my friends." Elsa answered.

"Have you seen them?"

Elsa continued to look up to the high tree tops.

"Where are you?" Elsa asked, wanting to see who it was talking to her.

"Please come out and let me see you."

There came a strange hissing sound. Elsa looked all around for what the source could possibly be. As there came another hiss that came from behind, Elsa quickly turned to face whatever it was. From behind, there was nothing but green, lush jungle vegetation and trees. She turned around and slowly backed away.

But upon a few steps, Elsa suddenly felt something scaly wrap around her. She looked down and saw large coils twirling around her, getting bigger as they came. Elsa raised her arms up and over the coils as they came around her chest. She was taken off the jungle floor and high above in the trees.

"Wow!" she said.

The wild girl came above the tree branches, before stopping some feet from the jungle floor. Elsa looked around her, panicking. She knew that snakes were dangerous, especially the big ones. She didn't want to become prey of one. Elsa looked forward and gasped. The snake's head descended from a branch above, gazing toward the wild girl.


	23. Chapter 23

The python slithered up over the air, its neck rose up and its head down as its eyes gazed to Elsa. Elsa stood still within the snake's coils that wrapped around, holding her tight. The snake moved around Elsa, continuing to face toward her. It hissed, as it thin red tongue slipped out from its mouth and then back in within a quick second. The jungle girl turned to face toward the python, following around with the large rock snake.

"Sssssay now." it said with the voice of a female, hissing upon every s-word she spoke.

"What do we have here?"

The snake came around to face Elsa.

"Why, if it isssssn't a girl-cub."

Elsa gazed to the snake, looking to the python with great fear.

"Ssssuch a ssssweet little girl-cub at that."

"Please don't eat me." Elsa begged the snake.

The python only chuckled.

"Calm now, little cub." She said.

"I won't hurt you."

The snake hissed at her as she came forth to the girl. Elsa gazed into the Kaa's sharp eyes. She could see several colours, following behind one another. Elsa found herself to be completely still, unable to control herself. She began feeling somewhat relaxed and so... comfortable. Her fear of Kaa had began to fade away,

"Let go of your fear now, little cub." She said.

"I am your friend... I'll keep you closssse...I'll protect you."

The snake rose up from the little brunette girl. Elsa then snapped from the snake's control. She closed her eyes and shook her head, before looking back up at the Rock Python.

"Who are you?" Elsa asked curiously.

"I am Kaa." The snake said.

Suddenly, Elsa was raised high in the trees, where Kaa brought her to a space between the reaching limbs of the tree. She came down between the few large limbs, coming on her feet. Kaa's coils slithered around her, unraveling the girl from her holding. Kaa's head came from above, her head stopping at the same level as Elsa's and the her long neck coming downward the rest of the way.

"I have heard sssso much in the jungle in the recent time." Kaa explained.

"The pride of Mufassa has come to accept a girl cub assss one of their own, cared for by the white lionessss."

Elsa nodded her head, smiling.

"Diata." Elsa said.

"I'm her daughter."

"As I sssee." said Kaa.

"I have sssseen cubssss of man in ssssuch rare times. But never have I known one that hassss come to grips of learning the life of the jungle."

Kaa slithered around to the right of Elsa, as the young girl turned to face the snake.

"After all." said Kaa.

"The jungle issss far too dangeroussss for one ssssso young and beautiful asssss you. SSSShhhhere Khan, the tiger would kill you with but one touch of hisssss paw."

Elsa knew of that name. Diata had told Elsa of those within their jungle home, who would be considered a danger to Elsa. Scar, Mufassa's banished brother, The leopard, Sabor, the three hyenas, Shanzi, Banzai and Ed, Zira, the lionees and her many followers and lastly, the lame tiger himself, Shere Khan. Diata explained that Shere Khan was but one of the jungles most feared and respected. He had a great hate for man, being that he was exposed to the many burdens of man and swore to vanquish the opposing threat to the jungle.

If he were to meet Elsa, she would no doubt be seen as a threat. Though, Shere Khan hunts far in the jungle, kept in a great distance from Elsa. Also, Shere Khan wouldn't dare to go against Mufassa; he was much stronger than the lame one.

"But my mother told me Shere Khan was far away." said Elsa.

"SSSSooo true, little cub." said Kaa.

"The stripped one is so far. But sssshall you cross pathssss with him or the King'ssss brother, SSSScar, sssshall you, little cub not walk into their mouthssss."

"I won't walk into their mouths." said Elsa, knowing that she was protected by her mother and friends of the jungle.

"I am a friend to all the animals; they would protect me from Scar and Shere Khan."

"Perhapssss." said Kaa.

"The jungle musssst sssshow great love to you. But to what isss one like you sssso far from your own kind."

Elsa frowned and narrowed her head. The reason for her life in the wilderness of the jungle was far from what she could explain, let alone bare a word to explain it.

"I-I came here with my...parents." Elsa said, trying to explain.

"But they-"

Elsa paused, thinking of her parents felt so unbearable and so torturing to her. She couldn't find the strength to Kaa saw the pain and agony of the young girl. Thinking of her parents made her feel so sad inside.

"Ohhhh." She said as she slithered around the girl.

"You poor little cub."

Elsa could feel the snakes large coil drag across her body.

"Come now." said Kaa turning to face her.

"Don't be sssso ssssad."

Kaa's head came forth, bending to reveal the top, it set down Elsa's forehead. The wild girl could hear Kaa's hissing. She looked up as Kaa departed from her, a single tear rolled down from let left eye. Seeing the tear slid down her cheek and finally drops down, is when the snake was then met by Elsa's fading wound.

"What'ssss thissss?" She said, looking to the young girl's shoulder.

The python stared to the wound in the girl's shoulder. A sight that was all so familiar to the snake. A wound she had seen long before, the people of the jungle greatest fear to be known. Elsa looked down to the gunshot wound that was disappearing in the slowest manner. She placed her hand upon it, covering with her palm.

"It issss the mark of man." Said Kaa, knowing what it was the girl had been marked with.

"So does their burden come down upon their own cub?"

Elsa looked back up to Kaa.

"A man did this to me." Elsa said, remembering Jack's uncle with his gun.

"He was trying to get me and my mother."

Kaa never knew of a hunter of man to bring harm to their own cubs. While it was, man breaks the jungles law of hunting; they always looked after their own children as far as she knew. It was such a great shock to know a hunter had tried to kill one of their own.

"It would sssseem sssso." said Kaa.

"Man would not hunt one of their own. But it would be known for you, little cub. Man hasss turn away from you."

"But why?!" Elsa asked, curiously.

Kaa slithered around Elsa. The wild girl turned to face her, as Kaa looked back to her.

"Climb on, little cub."

Elsa looked down to Kaa's large Coil. The wild girl came up and climbed on the snake's back, holding tight the snakes round, body frame. Kaa then turned, looking ahead and began to slither down and slithered across the long, bark covered tree branch, Elsa hanging onto the back of the large rock python. Through the tops of the trees, Kaa slithered forward in a zigzag formation. Elsa looked all over at her surroundings, passing through tree after tree, countless branches covered by lush green leaves.

Elsa looked up front to Kaa.

"Where are we going?" The wild girl asked curiously.

"To the river ahead." Kaa answered.

"There issss ssssomething I wissssh to sssshare with you."

The two had come to the end of the jungle, where the river separates the other side. Kaa came to the last end of branch, came off and lowered herself down into the rushing river. Elsa came down into the water with the Rock Python. With a big splash, Elsa came into the rushing river; she shook her head, ridding the waters from her.

"Tell me, little cub." said Kaa, going downstream.

"What do you ssssee? What issss all around you?"

Elsa looked all over, to all sides there was the lush jungle, from there and far ahead was the lush, tropical forest of Africa. The tall dense trees that sprouted high to the air, the green petals that cover every end of every branch, and the lush plants that grows from the moist jungle soil below. This was but what Kaa was referring to, the jungle that was her home.

"The jungle." Elsa answered.

"Yesss." Kaa said, moving back and forth through the water.

"It issss the jungle, little cub. That is but the ansssswer to your quessstion."

Elsa looked curiously to Kaa.

"But how, Kaa?" Elsa asked curiously.

"How is the jungle the answer to my question?"

"Becausssse, little cub." said Kaa.

"You are but part of the jungle. You are one of it'ssss thriving; you are learning it'ssss lawssss and living under it'ssss way to Life."

Elsa thought to Kaa's answer was. She knew she was now one of the many cubs of the jungle. She was being taught the laws by the Black Panther, Bagheera, and from Baloo the bear. She took under the lions that raised her for these many passing months of her life in the jungle. She followed in their ways of life, also learned the traits of all the animals she called her friends. So was it true? Was it that she was really one of the jungles thriving? Was this was Jack's uncle had shot her?

"So, I am part of the jungle?" Elsa asked curiously.

"Yesss, little cub, yessss." Kaa answered.

It seemed to be that the pieces she had, looked to fall into place. It was now apparent to her, that man had cast her away, because she was now of the wild heritage. Elsa was a jungle girl, who had fled away from human nature, choosing to live the life of a wild animal. As so, man had cast her away because of this.

Further up the river, there were large flat rocks that stuck out from the river. Kaa moved toward the rocks and slithered atop their hard, smooth surface. Elsa came out of the water and upon coming onto the flat surface; the wild girl came off of Kaa's long coil and sat before the python.

Kaa rose her head up as she looked to Elsa.

"You have great love for your lush home, don't you?" Kaa asked curiously.

Elsa nodded her head yes. She loved the jungle like the animals that raised her, it was wide and free. it gave food, it gave shelter, and also, it gave such fun. The jungle was truly her home, never had she felt like this in her short life among humans

"I do." she said.

"I love the jungle."

"AAAhhhh." Kaa responded.

"Do you not ssssee, little cub. You bare the respect for the wild, one that man hassss failed to show."

Kaa knew this to be true. Man had taken for granted the treasures and gifts of the jungle. They fail to honour the law, for they have broken many before, the guiltiest of this crime against the jungle was the white men. Hunting for pleasure and without the need for food, tearing down the trees, wiping away all that nature created. Man had done so much, taken without giving back. But Elsa had proven to be the opposite of her own kind.

She is proving herself to truly be one of the jungles. She is leaning to follow the laws, to be part of the lush forest as the others. This was also hard for Elsa to understand. She had been cast away from her own kind, for the reason of being part of the jungle. Elsa narrowed her head, pondering to herself. All that had happened, the plane crash, the roar and the wound of the gun. This was a clear sign that man had banished her to the wild lands of Africa.

Elsa looked back and down into the rushing water. She stared down at her reflection. To know her own kid had rejected her, it was far too much to take in.

"So, my own kind wants me gone?" Elsa questioned.

"But why do they?"

Elsa looked back to Kaa.

"I'm one of them."

"No, little cub." Kaa explained.

"You are no longer of their world."

Elsa frowned, narrowing her eyes. The truth was hard to accept, but it had to be for what it was. Elsa looked up to Kaa. She then felt Kaa's coil pass by her hand. The wild girl gazed down and looked to Kaa's long body. He skin, so wet and scaly, a dark grey covered by a pattern of yellow. Elsa placed her hand down upon Kaa's long body.

"Your skin looks so beautiful, Kaa." said the wild girl as she looked up to the python.

Kaa smiled gratefully at the girl.

"Yesss, little cub." She said.

"I am Beautiful."

Kaa slithered around the girl.

"In every few months gone by, I sssshed my sssskin. I rid mysssself from my old dying sssssurface and I am able to given new, fresssh sssskin."

Elsa gazed curiously at Kaa.

"New skin?" Elsa asked.

Kaa nodded her head.

"Yesss." said Kaa.

"New beautiful sssskin."

Elsa gazed back down to Kaa's large coil. She thought of what the wise python had explained. Relieving herself from her own skin and beginning again.

(**I hope you all enjoyed this chapter, we are drawing close to ending the childhood of Elsa. There are only a One or two chapters left till we reach that point. As always, if you have any requests or ideas you wish to share, feel free. Last but not least, please comment and review!)**


	24. Chapter 24

Elsa crawled over the edge of the rock and looked down upon the rushing water below. Through the constant stream, Elsa looked down upon her reflection who gazed back at her. She saw the skin of herself, the little girl who had been confined to her home in her time in civilization. She was no longer of that world, no longer human, but part of the lush adopted home that was the jungle. Seeing herself in the water stream, she suddenly thought of her memories in her past came flooding back.

It was through her past, memories began appearing to his mind. Elsa began frowning, thinking of her past life. Elsa then saw Kaa's reflection upon the water.

"So I'm no longer human." said Elsa.

Kaa shook her head no.

"No, little cub." said Kaa.

Elsa narrowed her eyes.

"Why do they no longer want me?" Elsa said.

"I don't know." Kaa answered.

Elsa turned to look back at Kaa. The python looked down upon the girl with eyes of sympathy.

"Your place among man may be gone, but you are a part of thisss jungle." Kaa explained.

"The animalssss are your brothersssss, they will always be there on your journey, to guide you along your way."

"And sisters?"Elsa said, referring to the females of the jungle.

Kaa chucked.

"Yes, little cub." said Kaa.

"We are of one blood, you and I. Forever sssshall we one."

Elsa reached up and took hold of the sides of Kaa's face. She brought her close to her set Kaa's forehead upon hissed before closing her eyes. Through this grieving time, she was thankful to have one the friendship of the animals.

"Thank you, Kaa." said the wild girl.

Kaa departed from Elsa, smiling happily. She nodded her head the wild girl.

"You're welcome, little cub." said Kaa.

Kaa turned back to the other side of the river.

"I think it'sss time for ussss to return home." said Kaa as she looked back to Elsa.

"Yeah, mama must be looking for me." said Elsa.

"Cimb on, little cub." said Kaa, slithering up a bit for Elsa.

The young girl crawled up to Elsa and came up on her back. Once Elsa had settled upon the snakes coil, Kaa then slithered down into the rushing water, moving from left to right, as they crossed through the river. As the water hit upon Elsa's body, she felt the little force that was pushing upon her body, drenching her even more. It was a short time, when Elsa slithered up upon the bank on the other side of the river, pulling Elsa up out of the water with her.

Elsa then got off of Kaa's coil and turned to Kaa.

"Take care, little cub." said Kaa.

"Goodbye, Kaa." said Elsa.

Kaa nodded her head to the girl. She then turned away and slithered into the jungle. Elsa watched as the python disappear into the lush vegetation. Once Kaa was gone, Elsa was left sad and still so confused. The girl narrowed her eyes, pondered of all that Kaa had told her. Elsa looked back at the other side of the river. Now knowing what it truly was, the moment the gun had set off and she was marked cruelly with bullet. But also all that had happened, how she had gotten here in the first place, it was her own kind banishing her away.

From her eyes, tears began to form and roll down her cheeks. She began sobbing, bringing her hands to cover her eyes as more tears came from her eyes. Elsa turned and ran the other way, plowing through the lush vegetation. She ran further away from the river, trying to distance herself from the streaming water. She passed through all the lush green plants in her way, moving them aside.

She then entered into a clearing, where she passed by Baloo and Bagheera, who turned watch her run away, crying.

"Elsa?" said Bagheera turning in her direction.

But the wild girl did not stop, but continued forward into the crowd of trees.

"Elsa!" called Bagheera as he ran up and gazed down to the wild girl.

Elsa continued to run further into the jungle, passing by the many tall standing trees that surrounded her, every animal that was nearby. She continued to cry over her banishment from her own kind. To what she had done to deserve such this, she didn't know. Elsa then came to a tall tree, with large roots that stuck up from the ground. Elsa collapsed in front of the tree, sobbing.

Elsa looked up to the tall tree, her cheeks wet from her shedding tears. The wild girl crawled upon her hands and knees, coming up to the tree root. She pressed up against the large brown root, curling her legs up to her chest. She wrapped her arms around them, keeping them in place. Elsa narrowed her face down over her knees; she continued to draw out her pain.

"Mama, papa." she said.

She remembered her family from long ago, her mother and father. They were all gone. Everything she had ever known was taken away from her. She was now forgotten, an out casted, looked to be nothing more but an animal.

Elsa continued to lie in the very spot, continuing to cry and be left with thoughts of such pain and sorrow. Slowly she grew silent, only small sobbing was to follow. Though it was of that moment, she then heard a voice call her name.

"Elsa."

The wild girl raised her head up and turned left. She saw Diata, walking toward her.

"Mama." said Elsa as she unraveled herself.

Diata came up to her daughter, as Elsa took her in her young arm, sobbing.

"Shhh, shhh." Diata responded, calming her daughter.

"It's okay, it's okay, I'm here."

Elsa pressed herself against her mother's chest, the side of her face felt soft white fur from underneath. Elsa shut her eyes tight as her head narrowed down a bit, moving across her mother's chest.

"Mama." Elsa whispered.

"I'm here." Diata said as she sat down in front of her daughter.

"It's alright, I'm here for you"

Diata came apart from her daughter, looking down upon Elsa. The little girl sniffed as she wiped a tear from her eye. The young girl looked up to her adopted mother, her blue sadden eyes staring up at the white lioness.

"Why don't they want me, mama?" Elsa asked.

"What?" Diata asked.

"Why doesn't my own kind want me?" Elsa asked again.

"What are you talking about?" Diata said, confused as to why she would say that.

"Why did they throw me away?"

"Elsa!" Diata said.

Elsa then stopped talking and gazed up to her mother. Diata was trying to fathom all that her daughter was saying to her. Much of it was so confusing, hearing Elsa say that her own kind no longer wanted her. Though, it wasn't a surprising thing for her to think, after all, she had been shot by that man across the river. But this wasn't anything she wanted her daughter to think of, let alone feel sad about.

"Listen to me." Diata said softly.

"What happened before doesn't matter now. You weren't thrown away."

"But Kaa told me….."

"Kaa?" said Diata, a bit shocked to hear that very name.

"The python?"

Elsa nodded her head yes, admitting that she had saw the rock python. Diata was even more shocked then before. To think her own cub had met the wisest snake in all the jungle. Though she was curious to one matter, to what had the python told her cub.

"What did she tell you?" Diata asked, wanting to know what it was the python had explained to her.

"She said that I'm different from my own kind." Elsa said.

"When that man hurt me, she said that it's because… they no longer want me."

Diata was so doubtful of all she was hearing. She couldn't for a second believe that Kaa would tell this to her. While she knew that humans were a threat to her adopted cub, she didn't think for a second that it would be Elsa being cast away from her own people.

"Elsa, no." Diata said.

"That's not true at all, they didn't cast you away."

"But it is true." Elsa insisted.

"No it's not." said Diata.

Elsa looked down, narrowing her eyes below. She wanted to believe that her mother was right, that Kaa was lying, but something inside kept telling her otherwise. The long past she had endured before coming to the jungle, felt like something was true about it. Diata frowned, seeing Elsa feel so sad and torn. She wanted for Elsa to be happy, some way to relief her daughter from her pain. While the lioness though an idea then came to mind. She knew of a place, somewhere she had been before many times since she was young.

Diata looked back to her daughter.

"Elsa." she said, making the wild girl look up to her.

Diata came back up on her four paws and kneeled down to her daughter.

"Here, get on."

Elsa came up and climbed up on Diata's back. After she was over her mother back, Diata came back up and looked back to her.

"You on back there?" asked Diata.

Elsa nodded her head. Diata smiled back at her daughter.

"Alright, hang on." she said.

The white lioness then turned and walked ahead into the jungle.

As the evening light began to dim, as the jungle grew dark as the night sky that was changing the sky above and the full white moon began to shine it's light down upon the jungle below, the mother and daughter walked down a pathway through the lush vegetation around them. Elsa sat atop her mother's back, looking all around them. She had never been to this part of the jungle before.

"Where are we going, Mama?" Elsa asked curiously.

Diata turned back to her daughter.

"Someplace special." said her mother.

Elsa began feeling so curious and so eager. She wanted to know just where her mother was taking her too, anticipation was strong then it had ever been. Though soon, her question would soon be answered. The two came into an open clearing, where there was a small pond of water. From all around, there were tall trees, the banks were steep from all around the pond, High above, was the moon, shining down through the circular gap and reflected down on the water.

Elsa gazed up at the moon above, before gazing at the small open space.

"What is this place?" she said.

"This is one of the jungles most sacred places." Diata explained.

"Where one is lost, an answer can be found."

The wild girl thought to what her mother had told her. Where one is lost, an answer could be found. She was lost, trying to find out what path where she could be found. Elsa came off her mother's back and walked onto a large rock that stood in the pond.

"Wow." said Elsa.

She looked down to the water and gazed down the moon's reflection.

"It's so beautiful."

Diata nodded. The white lioness sat at Elsa's side, looking out over the pond. She gave a soft sighed, giving a smile as she thought of her past memories.

"This was always a special place to me." Diata said.

The white lioness looked down to Elsa.

"When I was your age, my mother and I would always come to this very spot. She used to tell me stories, sometimes; we would look up to the stars above."

The two looked high to the night sky, and through the darkness, the small stars twinkled their small lights.

"They're so pretty." said Elsa.

Diata shook her head yes, agreeing with her daughter.

"My mother told me this something about them." Diata said.

"She said, from above those stars, the all those that came before us look down upon us."

"Even her?" Elsa said, looking to her mother.

Diata narrowed her eyes, nodding her head.

"Even her." said Diata.

Elsa looked to her adopted mother.

"What was your mother like?" the young girl asked curiously.

Diata chuckled a bit, thinking of her own mother.

"My mother, well..." Diata explained.

"My mother was the wisest and most loving that I've ever known. Every day I think of her, I remember everything she taught me. Whenever I needed her, she was always there for me. She guided me through my years of a cub."

Diata turned up to the stars.

"Even now, I wish that she could be here. But I know that she isn't gone."

Hearing all that her adopted mother told her, Elsa looked down to the water, sad, and thinking of her own parents. Throughout her time with them, it was only her mother that was her friend, she never say her father, at least not allot. It was always her, confined to her room. Never once did she leave her house. Only her home was the world around her. Only when her father needed to travel, was it when she got to escape her trapped world.

Looking back down at her reflection, she saw herself. The one her father once called her Perfect little girl.

"Elsa?" Diata said.

Elsa looked back up at her adopted mother.

"I miss my parents." said Elsa.

Diata frowned, remembering the day she found Elsa, when she the two bodies that were her parents. She understood Elsa's pain. To lose someone you love. She felt the same way as to when she had lost her previous cub, Pora. Things felt so difficult for her. For a cub like Elsa, the pain of loss was something that couldn't be handled.

"I know you do." said Diata.

"I'm sure they were good to you as I am."

Elsa narrowed her eyes. She looked back at her reflection, remembering her parents.

"They were, I guess." said Elsa.

Diata looked curiously to her adopted cub.

"Papa wasn't there much." Elsa said.

"He was always so busy with his work. He always wanted me and mama to stay home, he didn't like for me to be outside."

Diata listened to Elsa tell of her past life. All the while, she felt so bothered to hear what her father had done.

"He didn't want me to be hurt by anyone." Elsa said.

While it was one of his greatest intentions, he hadn't realized what he had done. He was so far from close to his daughter; always working on what he believed would be a breakthrough of science. He didn't know that he was hurting Elsa by not being there.

Elsa gazed down her reflection. Staring back was the same little girl, who was forced to be trapped in a room, almost like… an animal. Her father was in reality, shutting her in a confined space, like an animal in a zoo, unable to live free, being confined for all her years in civilization.

She shut her eyes, beginning to feel emotions take over once more. Diata came down to her daughter and nuzzled her girl cub. Elsa looked to her mother, as she did to her.

Elsa gazed to her adopted mother, the time she had met Diata, had her life turned another way. She was no longer trapped, she was no longer confined. She was now free within the world, now been given a chance at a new life. Elsa looked back to the pond.

"Maybe Kaa's right," said Elsa, remembering all of what Kaa had told her.

"Maybe I do belong here."

Elsa looked back to her reflection over the surface of the water. Looking down over her reflect, her braided hair hung down on her left. As she once more looked to her reflection, it was the slithering words of Kaa being spoken in her young mind.

"Shed your skin." she said in a whispering tone.

Those exact three words were of what Elsa felt herself. Looking upon herself now, she saw her old life of confinement and loneliness, her father ever so absent from her. It wasn't until now, living amongst her adopted family, was she finally given a chance of freedom. When she experience what is like to not be so confined by the four walls that barricaded her from the outside world. The new life in this jungle had all but changed her.

Elsa looked to her French braided hair, at the very bottom; there was the small snowflake clip that held it together. The wild girl reached her right hand for the bottom of her hair and unclipped it. Her bleach blond hair began to unravel and spread from one another. Elsa gazed back down at her reflection, seeing her long hair hang down from her head.

She was no longer the perfect girl, no longer the one trapped all her life. But she was of this jungle, for its lush forest was her home, the animals her brothers and sisters.

Elsa looked back up to Diata, who smiled back at her. Seeing Elsa's long bleach blond hair, she almost looked the part of a lion.

"How do I look?" Elsa said, smiling.

Her mother gave a slight chuckle.

"Elsa, lionesses don't have manes." said Diata.

The wild girl laughed in response.

"But I'm a lion girl, right?" asked Elsa.

Diata smirked.

"I suppose so." said Diata

Elsa looked back to her reflection, she saw herself with her long blond hair. It did look somewhat like Mufassa's mane, the male lion's symbol of dominance.

"This is who I Am." said Elsa proudly.

"I'm part of the jungle."

Diata smiled down upon Elsa. Never could she imagine having a cub like her, but there wasn't any cub that she would rather have then her.

"Yes you are." Diata said.

The wild girl looked up to her lioness mother.

"And you are always my daughter."

Diata leaned her head down and pushed up against the girl's shoulder. Elsa chuckled, and smiled up at her adopted mother.

It was through her most frightening time, had the white lioness came to her. She had taken the place of a mother to her, a mother that protected her, a mother who raised her as her own, and a mother that loved her so. She had given her a new life among the animals of the jungle, giving her a long awaited chance.

Elsa then came up and hugged her adopted mother, listening to her soft and gentle purr.

"I love you, mama." she said.

Diata opened her eyes, making them look to her young, beautiful daughter. Together, the mother and daughter kept close to one another. It was a moment for them both, one that neither of them wished to end.

Far from the jungles of Africa, over to the western lands of the United States, in the city of San-Francisco, the sky above was filled with dark grey clouds. Drops of rain began fall rapidly below upon the city. At a local middle school, from a window of one of the few classrooms, Jack Overland was gazing out the window. All the while, the teacher was standing at the front of the class room, teaching language arts to the other class mates.

Jack wasn't in any mood to listen; his thoughts were upon all that had happened these past few months. He had told his little five year old sister, Anna that things would get better. But they didn't. Their parents had such a fight, his dad ended up physically hurting Jack. After words their dad left the house and soon after, they did too. They moved to San-Francisco mouth after, where their mother had met and married someone else.

Now she was three months pregnant. Anna was now in a preschool, where she was making all kinds of new friends. For the most part, things seemed to be getting better for them. That is, all except Jack. He was still sad and torn about what happened. His father had just hurt him; a scratch mark was left at the right of Jack's face. He never found a way to let it go. But things weren't all a misfire. Jack did make friends with a blond haired boy named kristoff, who was sitting in the desk beside his and also Tadashi, a Japanese kid that was sitting in the front of the class.

Jack continued to stare out the window, gazing to the countless drops fall from the cloudless sky. It was then the bell rang, ending the entire day of school.

"Alright, please finish up those math questions for homework tonight." The teacher said as all the students packed their things in their backpack and walked to the door.

Jack stood up out of his desk and began closing his books, setting them in his blue backpack. After the classroom was mostly empty, the teacher, a woman in her mid thirties with long blond hair, wearing glasses over her eyes and dressed in a black long sleeved shirt and blue jeans came up to Jack and kneeled down to him.

"Hey, Jack." she said.

"How are you doing?"

The white haired boy turned to look at her.

"I'm alright, Mrs Robinson." he said, though he was far from feeling happy about anything.

"I have to say it's been a pleasure having you here." she said.

"You got through your third month here and you're making all these new friends."

Jack shook his head a few times.

"Yeah." he said.

But the smile on his face shortly faded away. He sighed, before he draped his backpack over his back.

"Hey." she said as Jack looked to her.

"Don't worry, things are going to turn out fine." said Miss Robinson as she set her hand on his shoulder.

"You'll see."

Miss Robinson then brought her hand back and stood up.

"I'll see you tomorrow."

As Miss Roberson turned away, Jack then walked behind her and then turned to the door to the hallway outside.

As the other kids walked out from the front doors of the school and into the rain, Jack and his two friends Kristoff and Tadashi walked together out into the rain. The three friends walked down the steps of the school and began walking upon the left sidewalk.

"So you guys want to come over this weekend?" Kristoff asked curiously.

"We can have the basement all to ourselves and play video games all night."

"Sure, I'm in." said Tadashi.

Kristoff then look to Jack.

"How about you, Jack?" he asked.

Jack looked to Kristoff.

"Alright, I guess." said Jack.

"Awesome." said Kristoff.

"Maybe you guys can stay overnight."

"I don't know." said Tadashi.

"I have chores to do at my Aunt's cafe."

"Aw come on, it'll be great." said Kristoff.

"Yeah, l come on, Tadashi." said Jack, egging him on.

Tadashi sighed.

"Okay fine." said Tadashi.

"I'll ask Aunt Cass."

Ad the four friends came by a curving root at the end of the sidewalk, Tadashi began turning and walking down the street.

"I'll see you guys, tomorrow." He said.

"See ya!" Jack and Kristoff called back to him, just before they crossed the street.

Jack and Kristoff continued to walk, till there were two houses waiting ahead of them. They came to the crosswalk and looked both ways down the road. There wasn't a single car in sight.

"All clear." said Kristoff as he looked to Jack.

The two then walked across the crosswalk and came onto the sidewalk.

"See ya tomorrow, Jack said Kristoff as he turned and walked in up to the house on the right.

"See ya." said Jack as he walked up to the patio of the left house.

Jack reached out and grabbed onto the door handle, turning it counter clockwise opened the front door. Jack then stepped inside the house, closing the door behind him. Jack kicked off his shoes and took off his raincoat, setting it up on the coat hanger. Jack then walked into the living room, where he found his mother, Jill and Anna, sitting and watching TV.

"Hey, honey." she said, looking to Jack.

"How was school?"

"It was fine, mom." he answered, just as he turned and walked down the hallway.

Jill sat upon the couch, watching in awe as he son walked away down the hall. She sighed, taking off her red glasses and placing her hand over her face. Ever since they had moved, Jack hasn't been himself. He was taking the families separation to deep heart.

"Mama, is Jack okay?" Anna asked curiously.

She looked to Anna.

"Jack's fine, sweetie." her mother said.

"He's just going through some stuff right now."

"Is he sad that daddy hit him?" Anna asked.

"Let's not talk about that, Okay?" her mom said.

"Okay." said Anna.

Jack climbed the stairs up to the second floor of the house. He walked down the hall, to the white door at the very end. He then opened the door and walked into his new room. The white haired boy threw his backpack down on his desk chair and sat upon his bed that was at the side of the door. He sat there, continuing to ponder on all the changes to his life.

He didn't want for his family to go down the harsh way they did. They were so close and all the times they had together were ones Jack couldn't imagine living without. Now they were apart. Jack sighed and looked up to his desk at the other side of the room. There upon his desk was a picture of his family, Him, his little sister, his mom….and his dad, Standing together with a huge lake behind them. Jack stood up and took hold of the picture. He then sat back down and gazed down upon the picture.

It was the time they had went camping two years ago, by the lake. It was the one happy time they had together, before all this happened. What seemed to now be the last great memory they had as a family. Jack closed his eyes, as then he began sobbing. A single tear dropped from the corner of his right eyes and down onto the glass of the picture frame.

Jack then opened the picture frame and took the photo out. The white haired boy gazed down at the photo last time. He looked mainly to his dad. Inside the boy's anger grew inside. It was all because of him that this happened, their family was a close one in the past. Now it was ruined, all because of him. Jack glared down at the mere sight of him. He took the photo from the angle of his father and tore it off. The side of the picture that showed his father, tore from the rest.

Jack then got off his bed and went to the window. He pushed it up, opening a square gape. The boy then crumpled the the torn portion picture into a small ball. After of which, he threw it out the window and watch the wind carry it away.

Jack stood there, looking so depressed and so torn. It was then a single tear emerged from his eyes and rand down his cheek. Jack closed his eyes, as more began streaming from his eyes. He began sobbing just before he turned and came down on his bed. From there, the boy continued to cry.

(**I hope you all enjoyed this long chapter. This is the final chapter that is set in Elsa's childhood, so next one, we will be cutting to her young adult years. Till then, please comment and review!)**


	25. Chapter 25

There had been countless times the rain had come and gone, over the jungle. The sun rose and set over the horizon more times than could be seen. Through that passing time, Elsa stayed amongst her jungle brethren, for she was not human, but one of the jungle. She had now abandoned the world of man, leaving the life of imprisonment far behind her. The jungle was but he true home, it's laws she follows, it's life she lives. But even with her choice of the life in the wild, she and Jack remained far apart from one another. Not since that first day, they had not seen one another again. Time had journeyed through a long path, and along the way, so much had changed.

Through the lush jungle, at great speed, a full grown lion runs at great speed. Along with him, a lioness prowled along the same path as thee. Covered by the shadows of the trees, only cling into given light the leaked through the openings through them, passing by tree after tree, prowling upon their four paws. The male's mane danced in the air that passed by. Yet the two lion ran not alone, for coming to his side a stranger, over its hind legs did it match the speed and yet gained it as well.

The stranger surpassed the two lion, taking the lead from the mighty beast. Plowing through the brush of vegetation, ahead of their trail, through the lush jungle woods, the leading animal had made a break forward, where a vine was seen, hanging down on one of the many trees. At the last step, it leaped up and reached out, grabbing hold of the brown hanging vine. Through the trees, it hung on the swing vine, as it came to the next, it reached out and grabbed hold of the vine and swung further through the jungle.

The lion raced in pursuit, leaping over fallen branches and over logs. Further ahead of them, a wide watering hole, where there were a few elephants stood within the water, bathing in its coolness from the heat of their tropical forest. At one of many trees that surrounded all around the pond, over a high ledge over the deepest part of the water hole, the strange figure come atop the branch in the shadows, and climbed up toward the light that stood high on another limb of the tree.

It climbed up and through two spiting limbs that reached high and came onto the branch that stretched over the water. The figure climbed down the branch in a kneeling fashion, placing its front paws ahead in the front. The figure crawled from the shadows of the leaves above and into the sun's warm light. Once cleared from the shadows, the figure standing was revealed to be Elsa. Not a cub, now to be the age of young women of her twentieth year of life. She stood tall, her legs so long and smooth, her bleach blonde hair reached down to the ends of her back, her blue loincloth was now but split to two blue pieces. Once wrapped around her chest, covering over her breasts and the other around the waist, and hung down from her front and back.

The great women of the jungle stood up on all fours, just as she leaped up and dived into the water below. She broke through the surface of the water.

Converging down into the water she then stroked her arms out as she rose up to the surface. Elsa came up from the water's deep and looked up to the ledge. It was them, Simba and Nala came into sight, both now older as Elsa. Simba jumped up and gripped his fangs on a vine and swung over the water. The vine snapped upon his teeth digging in through the tree rope and the lion then fell into the water, making a big splash. Elsa quickly looked away, as she was then splashed by water.

Elsa laughed as she turned back and saw Simba come back to the surface of the water. The young lion chuckled, his wet mane hanging down from his sides and back. just like Elsa's hair. The two looked up to Nala, who was now a full grown, beautiful lioness, standing up near the edge of the water.

"Come on in, Nala!" Simba said.

Nala gazed down to the water. She wasn't in any mindset to join her friends in the water

"I don't think so." she said.

"Don't be so worried, Nala." Elsa insisted.

"The water's fine."

"Yeah, jump in." said Simba.

Nala sighed, giving into their insistence. There wasn't anything to worry about, other than drowning. Though the longer she kicked her paws, the chances of that happening were slight. But she was still hoping to get to the shallow water. Nala stood at the edge, bringing her four paws together, as she then leaped down and dived into the water. A moment later she came back up to the surface, gasping for air.

Elsa swam over to her.

"Hold on, Nala." said Elsa.

"I got you."

The wild women took hold of the lioness, making her face her. Nala set her paws upon Elsa shoulders. Elsa kept kicking her legs back and forth, keeping Nala as well as herself from falling in the water.

"Thanks, Elsa." said Nala.

"You're welcome." said Elsa.

"Hey guys, this way!" Simba called to them.

Elsa and Nala looked to him and saw him swim toward the small herd of Elephants.

"Keep up." he laughed.

Elsa and Nala then began swimming after Simba. Elsa kept her arm around Nala's back and used her left arm to breaststroke. Nala used her paws below the water's surface and began paddling toward the Elephants. Simba swam upon the deep, till he felt his paws touch the ground beneath him. The young lion then started to run through the pond, pushing through the water that slowed him down. Simba looked back to Elsa and Nala, who came to the shallow of the pond, although Elsa was already touching the bottom long before. Nala swam, as Elsa helped her along.

She then felt ground beneath her paws, and started to stand up, the pond water was down to her chest level, she then shooed her head, clearing the water from her tanned fur.

"I never liked doing that." She said, looking up to Elsa.

The wild women chuckled in response.

"You alright?" asked Elsa.

"Yeah, I'm fine." said Nala.

"Just glad we're not in the deep side anymore."

Suddenly, the two were then slashed at, the water hit the top of Nala's head. The lioness flinched upon contact. She then looked and saw Simba, laughing.

"Gotcha, Nala!" He said.

Nala smiled scheming at Simba. As Simba laughed in triumph, he too was then splashed in the face by water. The lion turned his head, as the water hit the side of his face, making his wet mane hang down.

"Hey!" said Simba.

He looked and saw Elsa, chuckling.

"Thank you, Elsa." said the lioness, looking up to her human friend.

"You're welcome." said Elsa.

Nala then came up to Simba.

"You know, I don't think you're wet enough." she said, smiling.

Nala then pounced at Simba, pushing him over onto his back and into the water below. Nala and Elsa chuckled as they ran off toward the elephants. Simba came up onto his side and popped out of the water.

"Hey!" he called out playfully.

He then got his four paws and ran after them. The three friends ran through the herd of Elephants. The swiftly passed by the large grey giant, laughing and playing like cubs they had been before. Simba pursued after Elsa. Chasing the wild women, Elsa turned and splashed water at Simba, before she continued running. The young lion prince flinched and shut his eyes as the water his face. He only shook his head and cleared away the water.

"I'm going to get you, Elsa!" he said.

Elsa only laughed.

"Catch me, if you can." she said.

Elsa kept running past the elephants, as one of them looked to the wild women. A moment later, he saw Simba chase after her. The two friends continued on, pushing through the water, as it created a splashing wave in front of them. Coming into an open spot from the elephants, Simba was hot on Elsa's trail.

The wild women turned and saw Simba was closing in on her. Only a few steps closer to her, Elsa moved aside as the lion nearly passed her. After of which, the wild women leaped onto Simba, pushing him down. The two play fought one another, as they had done so many years ago. They pounce over on another. Nala came out from the herd and joined in the fun. She leaped atop Simba's back, biting and tugging on his ear.

As they continued playing, they were then were sprayed at with a gust of water. They looked and saw Hathi, the elephant, raising his trunk high and trumpeting.

"Hathi!" said Elsa, smiling.

The elephant chuckled and smirked.

"I still got it." he said, proudly in his old voice.

Elsa stood up and began splashing at the Elephant. Bending down and hitting the water from the back, making water splash up at many droplets of water and that merged together landed upon his trunk and partway up his face.

"I beg your pardon?" he said, in a playing light.

Hathi dipped his trunk down in the water and filled it with water, after of which, he flung it up and shot water Elsa. The jungle women chuckled, as she shook her head, like the lions, clearing the water from their fur.

Elsa kept splashing water at the old elephant, as he did back to her. The water that came from his trunk splattered upon her, the small drops and all that remains hit Simba and Nala.

"Hey!" Nala said, launching in a playful manner.

The two proceeded to get even wet more and more, as the water proceed to rain down upon them. Elsa and Hathi proceeded to play with one another, at one point Hathi took a large gulp of water in through his trunk and lifted the end up out of the water. The old elephant then let loose the large amount of water. Elsa quickly turned as she was then sprayed with by water. The large amount then pushed Elsa down and into the water.

Hathi came up to Elsa, as she leaned up out of the water; her wet, light blond hair covered her face. The jungle women lifted up her long hair from her face and looked up to the elephant, smiling. Hathi gave out his trunk to her. Elsa took hold as he pulled her up out of the water.

"Wow, Hathi." said Elsa.

"I haven't been hit by that much water before."

Hathi chuckled.

"What would you mother had thought if I did that?" Hathi asked curiously.

"You would have blown away."

Elsa shook her head in agreement, pushed her hair back behind her ear.

"I guess." she said.

"But it would have been quite the ride."

Simba and Nala came up from behind the jungle women. The young lion shook himself, clearing every drop of water from his reddish brown mane and his yellow fur. Nala flinched away as a few of the drops hit her.

"Simba." she said.

Simba stopped shaking himself dry and looked to Nala.

"Sorry." he said.

"All grown up and still you three play like cubs." said Hathi as the two lions looked to the elephant.

"You still have not shed away your young spirits. Not surprising really, as old as I am, I would pray to have moments of being young myself."

Elsa came up and placed her hand upon the elephant's trunk.

"The mighty elephant as you is not so old." she said.

"You're still the giant of the jungle that I look up to."

Hathi chuckled gladly.

"Why thank you, Elsa." he said.

"At least there are those willing to pay respect to their elders. The new cubs of the pride could learn a thing or two from you."

Redness formed on Elsa's looked away, smiling. She had never seen herself to be an idol for the cubs of her family. Of course, she was known to the jungle to be a proud lioness, one that follows the jungle laws with great the love and care to all the animals of the jungle. She could be considered a role model for the cubs.

"Thanks, Hathi." she said.

The elephant nodded his large head to the wild women of the jungle. With great respect to the people of the jungle, Elsa was given back same respect and love in return by many. Being a cub of man, Elsa could befriend many others so easily. Although, there were those who had none to give back to her, the reason being she was from the world of man. But their perception of how they saw her, was not a concern to her. She knew she was part of this jungle world, any doubt could not make her think otherwise.

Further into the day, far back to the den. Out before the cave entrance, Diata, Sarabi, Sarafina and a few of the other lionesses, were laying over the stone surface beneath them. The sun beamed its warmth feeling down upon them. Some the lioness laid, sleeping. Other lied awake, licking their fur clean, or that of their cubs. The white lioness laid along with Sarafina and Sarabi, as she relaxed, she waited patiently for her daughter's return from the jungle. They had been gone for a while, although she was not concerned that Elsa would run into trouble again, and that she was now older, grown lionesses like Nala.

All the while, among the lionesses two lion cubs were running after one another. They were two new born cubs of the pride, Kion and Kovu. The two cubs were both siblings, both of them five years old. Kion was a resemblance of Simba, his fur was yellow and at the top of his head, was a reddish brown Mohawk mane. While the other, was a brown furred cub with the same mane, but a dark brown colour.

"Come on and catch me, Kovu!" said Kion.

"You asked for it!" Kovu said, grinning.

The young brown cub pounced up at the yellow cub. He then came down landed on his brother. The two young cubs wrestled one another, rolling atop each other, biting and clawing as they came before Diata and Sarabi. The two lionesses looked to the two cubs, who continued tackling one another.

"Kovu, Kion!" Diata said.

The two cubs stopped wrestling and looked up to the white lioness. She looked down at the two, giving a stern look. The two grinned up at her, nervously.

"Sorry, aunt Diata." said Kion as he got off his brother and back up a bit.

"Me and Kovu were just playing."

Diata grinned and shook her head; it wasn't a new thing for her to see two cubs playing with one another.

"There's no need to be sorry." said Diata.

"Just not around here. You don't want to disturb any of the others. "

"Yeah," said Kovu.

"Go on now." Diata said, nodded her head to the right.

The two cubs turned and ran down toward the jungle. Diata, Sarafina and Sarabi gazed toward the jungle, ahead, watching the two cubs continued to chase each other down to the edge of the jungle.

"I never thought I would miss times like these." said Diata as she turned to looked to Sarabi.

The lioness queen nodded his head to her. She remembered time when Simba, Elsa and Nala were about the same age of Kion and Kovu, when they played with each other through many days in the past. Of course they still do, in such rare times; even at times they play with Kion and Kovu.

"I know how you feel." said Sarabi.

"I missed the little cub that was my son."

"And I miss the little cub I found so long ago." said Diata, thinking of when Elsa was just seven years.

"I can't tell you how proud I am, to see her so grown up. It didn't seem that long had passed, since I last I saw that same little cub sleeping up next to me at my side."

"I can't say that I disagree with you, Diata." said Sarabi.

"We are all proud of her. And the deed you've done for her when she needed it the most."

Diata smiled gratefully at the lioness queen.

"Thank you, Sarabi." she said.

Down below, near the line of trees, Kion chased after Kovu, coming up at his side, he leaped up his front legs and placed his paws upon his brothers back. He ran alongside him, making Kovu slow down a bit.

"hey, get off!" said Kovu, looking back at his brother.

Kovu spun himself around, trying to get at his brother, as he came along with him. But their fun was soon intervened. From the jungle, Elsa, Simba and Nala walked into view of the den. Elsa grabbed her hair and squeezed the water out of it. Simba shook himself as drops of waters flew to each side. After of which his man puffed all up in large ball of hair.

"Ah!" he said as he walked forward, his mane returned to normal.

After Elsa squeezed her hair dry and put it back behind her, she looked to the two brothers playing with one another. Elsa smiled and came up to the two brothers.

"Hey you two." she said.

Kovu and Kion stopped and looked up to the jungle women. Kion came off of Kovu's back and turned to Elsa.

"Hey Elsa." he said.

Kion then turned and saw Simba and Nala coming up to them

"Hey Simba, hey Nala, where have you guys been?"

Simba looked to Nala, who turned to Elsa.

"Oh, we were just out near the watering hole." said Nala as she then turned to Simba and Elsa.

"Right guys?"

Elsa nodded her head yes.

"Yeah," said Elsa looking back at the two cubs.

"What about you two, still wrestling one another?"

Elsa kneeled down upon her knees.

"Well, yeah." said Kovu, coming into the discussion.

Kion nodded his head, yes.

"Practicing so that one day, we'll be able to hunt with the pride." he said.

Elsa gave a smirk. She remembered herself, play fighting with Simba and Nala. Getting scratched and bit on her ear. It may have hurtled a bit at first, but she got used to it. It was also good practice for them, to be able to hunt one day along with the lionesses. Elsa had been given that chance, to hunt along with the pride. Though not so easy being human, she found other ways to catch her prey, that being a spear she had made from a sharp stone and a wooden stick.

Elsa reached both her hand down toward both the cubs and rubbed the tops of both their heads.

"Well you guys got a long way to go." she said.

"But you guys sure will be ready when it's time."

Kovu and Kion looked to each other, young and proud. The chance of one day being able to hunt with the pride, one the cubs looked to see the very day. To prove that they would become some of the best hunters the pride has had.

"You think so?" Kion asked.

"I know so." said Elsa.

"Yeah, I do too." said Simba.

Elsa stood back up on her feet, she walked toward the lioness that were up near the cave entrance. Elsa came up to her lioness mother, as she then got down on all fours. Diata turned and smiled to see her daughter had returned.

"Elsa." she said,

"Mother." Elsa said as she crawled up and nuzzled Diata

She rubbed her head under the white lionesses chin, brushing against her white fur and down the front of her neck. Diata shut her eyes and began to then lay down beside of her, as she continued to nuzzle her. Elsa then departed from Diata, still they looked to each other. Nala and Simba came up and laid amongst them

"Where have you three been?" Diata asked curiously.

"We were just as the watering hole." Elsa said.

Diata and Sarabi could tell that perfectly, due to the fact that their fur was all wet. Thinking about when they were just cub, there was only one answer as to what the reason was for that.

"I see." said Sarabi, looking to Simba's soaked mane.

Simba smirked, looking to Elsa. The lion women did the same back. It would seem that Hathi was right, even grown as they are, they were still driven by their young spirits.

**(I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter, I would like to say that I won't be active for a while, I have exams coming a week after and school has been becoming really stressful this past. So I'll be more focused on that, till I'm on vacation. And as always, please comment and review!)**


	26. Chapter 26

**Adgars research**

We once again are taken out from the jungles of Africa, and return to the suburban city of San-Francisco. It was about five in the morning; the darkness of night was still present from outside the window of the room of a familiar house, as well on the other was only a shine of light coming from the street lights outside, beamed through the glass and appeared on the floor. At the side of the light, atop the bed in the room, a young white haired man laid, sleeping with the covers below his chest. He was shirtless for the most part, showing his bear lean chest. His left arm laid over his head, while the other at his side.

As time changed Elsa, time had also changed Jack. He was now a young, handsome man of his early twenties, tall, lean and he was a bit muscular.

It was then his Alarm clock showed 5:20 AM and his alarm then set off, making a beeping sound that ceased the silence that was once in the room. As the noise came into Jack's ears, he flinched as he was awakening from his slumber. Jack reached with left arm, forcing him to roll to his stomach as he reach and pressed the snooze button. Jack groaned as he sat up, rubbing the back of his head. After of which his hand fell back down to his side.

Jack then turned himself around and placed his bare feet on the floor. He drove his hands through his white hair before standing up and walking around his bed to the door. Jack came out into the dark hallway, where it was still silent and peaceful. Everyone else was still sleeping, including Anna. Jack them came into the wash room and flicked on the lights. As they came on, the contact with his eyes made them ache a bit.

Jack groaned as he shut them tight.

"Aw man." he said, facing toward the mirror.

Jack stared toward his own reflection, which only looked back to him. It was the image of a young, handsome man, beginning to take on a life of his own, preparing what could be a lifelong career. He let out a sigh, knowing that this was going to be another day. He was now a student in the local University, taking classes in photography. He looked to gain a career in that field, already he had done many photos of the city's many parks and also some landscapes, also took some in the city as well. He then turned to the tub that was right behind him. He pulled back the curtains and then turned on the taps of both the hot and cold water. A stream of warm water began to fall down to the sink and fall down the drain. He placed his hand in the water to feel it begin to warm up.

He then pulled down his pajama bottoms before stepping into the hot running shower. He pulled back the shower curtains and began to wash himself off, preparing himself for the day ahead.

Jack walked out of the wash room, flicking off the light on the way. He came back into his room and pulled open his dresser, pulling out a blue-T-shirt and a pair of he was dressed, pulling his shirt down to cover his chest and stomach, from outside the window, he could see the break of dawn beginning to occur. The darkness of night begins to slowly be pushed aside by the rising light. Jack turned to his desk where there was a there was an EOS rebel. He took his camera and placed it in his bag that stood beside it. Afterwards he strapped it on his left shoulder, as it hung down near his waist. Jack then turned took his bag and draped it on his back.

He began walking down the hallway and came to a white painted door. He stopped and then knocked on the door's wooden surface.

"Anna." he said.

There was no answer from the other side.

Jack sighed and opened the door. He found his little sister, still fast asleep. She snored, her strawberry brown hair all in a messy bundle. She laid on her right side, her back turned to Jack. The young man walked into his sister's room and came behind her.

"Anna, Anna." he said.

The young eighteen year old snorted once more. She then moaned and sat up off her bed. She then spoke up.

"Yeah." She moaned.

"Wake up." he said.

"We got to get going soon!"

Jack turned and walked back out the door of his sister's room.

"We got to go, yeah." she said, just before she fell back to sleep.

Jack looked back at his snoring sister. He rolled his eyes and shook his head. He turned and began to walk down to the stairway and into the kitchen. Jack set his bag down and turned to the kitchen cabaret. He pulled out a steel mug and lid and turned to the coffee maker behind him.

Just then, he heard footsteps coming down the stairs. Jack turned and saw his mother, dressed in a pink robe and her brown hair hung down her back. Along with her, was Jack's stepfather? He was a man with brown hair and a mustache. He was dressed in a grey T-shirt and striped pajama bottoms. Jack mother rubbed her left eye a bit, just before she placed her glasses over them. She then gazed up to her eldest son.

"Morning, Jack." said his mother as she came up beside him.

"Morning mom." said Jack, just before turning to his step-father.

"Morning Bill."

"Morning." said Bill as he went to the Colbert and pulled out a box of cereal.

"Off on another day of taking pictures?"

Jack turned to Bill.

"Well, yeah." said Jack.

Jack then turned back to his coffee maker, as it began to cease its stream of dark, fresh caffeine liquid. Jack pulled his silver bottle from the maker and turned the lid on.

"I kind look to become a professional photographer."

"Well I think it's great that you're making a career out of this." said his mom.

Jack looked and smiled at his mother.

"Thanks mom." he said, nodding to her.

Bill went back to the stairway and gazed up stairs.

"Jamie, Riley!" he called up to them.

"Come on, everyone up; time to get ready for school!"

He turned back and went to the fridge. As he opened the door, he reached in and pulled out a jug of milk.

"You want some breakfast, Jack?" Bill asked curiously.

"No, me and Anna will get something at the cafeteria." said Jack.

"We have to be there by eight twenty."

Bill then shrugged.

"Alright." He said, just before he grabbed a bowl from the cupboard.

What soon followed were footsteps from the second level of the house, getting louder and louder as they came down each step. It was then that two young kids, both of them at the age of eleven year old. One was a boy with brown hair and green eyes, wearing a green shirt and pants, while the other was a girl with blond hair and blue eyes.

"Hey Jack!" said Jamie.

Jack turned to his young half-brother.

"Hey Jamie." he said, he smiled.

"What's going to be up with you today?"

"Same old." he said, knowing that school was going to be like.

"You going to hang out with your friends after school?" Jack asked.

"Yeah." said Jamie.

"We were going to the centre afterwards and hang out in the gym."

"Sounds like fun." Jack said.

When Jack and Anna's mother married Bill Anderson, what followed were two more additions to the family, Jamie and Riley. Jamie was the first born and Riley a year later. Jack and Jamie became close brothers through the years together. They would often play together, ever since Jamie was a few months old. Their favourite thing was to go outside in the back yard and catch. But in the recent years, there wasn't much time for that.

Jack was focused on his studies photography, always out till nine O'clock. Jamie never saw him as much, till the weekend. But even then, he was sometimes busy with editing the photo's he took. Jack did make some opportunities for some times with his little brother. Sometimes he would even play with Jamie's friends from his school.

"Hey Riley?" Jack asked, turning to his young sister.

"I heard you got Hockey tryouts coming up."

"Yeah, today after school." she said.

"Well knock'em dead out there." said Jack.

"Thanks Jack." said Riley.

"Make sure you remember what I taught ya." said Jack.

Riley nodded her head to her older brother. Jack, having to once live in a place of snow, often did play hockey at several points of his life. When Riley was four years of age, Jack taught her how to skate and also how to play hockey. He showed her all the moves, how to shoot pucks. It became her favorite sport. When she was five, she joined a team and played a few games. Jack Jamie and Anna always came to watch her play in the past.

"Hey, Jack." his mom said, as he turned to her..

"Where's your sister?

The young white haired looked to the stairway, he heard not a single other foot step from above, which meant that Anna was still sleeping. Jack rolled his eyes and walked toward the stairway.

"Anna!" He called out.

"Yeah?" she called back in a moaning tone.

"Anna come on!" He said.

"It's almost seven thirty."

"Seven thirty….." She said in response.

But it was soon followed by a gasping manner, realizing the time.

"SEVEN THIRTY!"

Jack then heard her collapse on her floor. Bill, Jamie and Riley turned looking upstairs.

"I'll be right there!"

Jack sighed and rolled his eyes, shaking his head. Anna was always like this, always disorganized and what not.

"Hurry up or I'm leaving without you."

Jack turned back to his mom.

"I swear she needs her alarm clock to go of twice."' said Jack.

"This is the twentieth thousand times she's slept in."

Jack's mother chuckled.

"Hey, come on." she said.

"She's twenty years old; you know how girls are at this age."

Jack smirked, knowing what she meant. Anna would always go out with her friends to parties and bars. Even on school nights. Sometimes she got back at three in the morning.

"Yeah I knew." he said.

Jack's mother reached up to the side of his head and drew his hair behind his ear.

"You know, I'm proud of you both." she said.

"You got through all these years and you're in university now."

Jack nodded his head to his mother. All he ever looked to do was to make his mother proud of him. He had accomplished so much and overcame so many obstacles. The past he endured and the scars he had, were now far behind him.

"I told you things will get better." she said.

Jack sighed and diverted his eyes, though keeping his smile on his face. He had doubts before, but his mom was right, things did get better. He was glad to still be here with her and his sister, even more with his new brother and sister.

"Well, I'm glad to be here with you guys."

Jack then held his mother close, hugging her tight. She wrapped her arms around his back and laid her head on his shoulder.

In a short while afterwards, Jack walked out the front door, carrying his bags toward the blue jeep that was parked beside the sidewalk in front of the house. Followed shortly after him was Anna, now dressed in a pink shirt and a pair of skinny jeans. He brown strawberry hair made two separate pony tails that lay against both her shoulders. She carried her backpack with her left arm through the left strap.

"Hey wait up, Jack." she said.

Jack turned and looked back to his young sister.

"For a second I thought I was going to have to leave without you." said Jack.

"You got to stop going out on school nights. I can't keep waiting for you."

"Sorry." she said.

"It's alright." said Jack.

"Just come on, we're going to be late."

The two came to the back of the Jeep. Jack set his bag in the back as Anna set hers beside his. Jack looked to the house next door, as he saw Kristoff coming out the front door, dressed in light brown shorts and a golf shirt.

"Hey Kristoff!" he called to him.

"Come on, we got to get moving!"

"Hold on, I'm coming." He said back.

Kristoff walked down to the sidewalk and came up to the two. He took off his back and put it in the back of the jeep.

"Get in." said Jack as he went around to the driver's seat.

"We got an hour to before class starts."

Kristoff climb over the door and into the jeeps back seats. He sat down behind Anna and reached for his seat belt at his right side.

"Are we picking up Tadashi and Hiro?" He asked

Jack got it to the driver's seat and closed the door behind him.

"No, they're taking Tadashi's scooter." said Jack as he put on his seat belt.

"We'll meet them there."

He took out the keys from his pocket and plugs them into the ignition. He turned it and the engine started up. After of which, he shifted the jeep into drive. Before Jack drove out, he turned and saw Jamie and Riley walk out of the house, carrying their school bags with them.

"Bye Jack!" Jamie waved to him

Jack waved back to him.

"See ya, Jamie!" He said back.

Jack then looked ahead and began to drive forward. He pulled away from the side way and drove down the street.

**(I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter, if there are any requests or ideas you wish to share, feel free. and as always, please comment and review!)**


	27. Chapter 27

Jack cruised down the road along with many other cars and trucks, that took to the streets. As the morning took it's toll, the city was beginning to wake up. People were starting another day in the suburban city of San-Francisco. Passing by several sidewalks, there were many of the cities citizens walking in separate directions, some going to work or making their way to some of the many shops in the city.

As they come toward a square of traffic lights, the light to the one ahead of them turned red. As the cars ahead of them came to a stop, Jack pressed down on the breaks of his blue jeep . Slowly, the blue jeep began to reduce it's speed and stop right behind the dark grey car ahead of them. Jack set back in his seat, waiting for the light to turn green, and for the vehicles on the left road to pass over to the right, while those on the right pass to the left.

"Hey Jack." Said Kristoff.

"I've been looking up some apartment buildings recently."

Jack took a glance back at Kristoff.

"Really, what did you find?" Asked Jack curious.

"I did find this two room one over at Chestnut, but that would mean that there would be only room for two of us."

"Well then, why don't you and Anna move in?" Suggested Jack.

"Hey, I thought we were all going on this." Said Kristoff.

"Well if this our big shot at getting one, one of us is going to have to give up for the other." Said Jack.

"Also, I'm not sure I'm ready to leave Jamie just yet."

Anna turned to her older brother.

"Well neither am I, Jack." Said Anna.

"Him or Riley."

Jack sighed, as he set his head back on against his seat. Moving out was being a hard thing to accomplish. It wasn't just trying to find a place to live, although that was an hard enough deed to accomplish on its own. Trying to find the right price and the right payment of rent. But it was also leaving behind their two new siblings. It was over the few years together, that they had grown close to one another. Jack also wanted time to be with his brother, besides that, he knew Jamie wouldn't want him to leave. It wasn't like he wanted to leave Jamie either.

"Come on, guys." said Kristoff.

"I know that you're concerned about your siblings, I understand that. But We've been planning on this for months now."

"We're not saying we don't want to do it, Kristoff." Said Jack.

"Just that our family's been through a lot. Our mom especially."

"I get that." Said Kristoff, knowing what they had went through in the past.

"But guys, she already got herself another husband and two more kids. I'm not trying to be offensive or anything, but I personally think it's just time for guys to have your own lives. I'm pretty sure she wants you too."

It was then that the traffic light shifted to green. The few cars ahead of them began to drive ahead down the way. Jack turned back and stepped down on the pedal and drove down the road. Kristoff was right about one thing, their mother did want them to move out and begin their own lives. But Jack couldn't leave her mother or his family, ever since they decided on this apartment he's been having doubts about the whole thing. The biggest of all these doubts were of his younger brother. Jamie and him were close friends, he couldn't leave him behind.

"You're right, she does, Kristoff." He said looking back to him.

"But what about Jamie? I can't just move out, it's bad enough that don't see him everyday. "

Kristoff thought for a second of that. He understood that Jack and Jamie were close brothers and respected that on every level. He sighed, knowing that he couldn't just keep Jack away from his family when he wanted to be near them.

"Well, maybe I can try and find an apartment somewhere nearby." Kristoff suggested.

Jack turned back to his friend and nodded his head in agreement. He knew that there had to be an apartment building nearby where they could go. That way, he and Anna could still be near their family. Their one hope in the matter would be that they would find one where they could all have a room.

"Thanks, Kris." Said Jack.

There was then a hock of a scooter coming from behind. The three friends looked and saw Tadashi, who was now a young man at the age of twenty. He was tall wearing a grey button shirt overtop of a black t-shirt and a pair of Jeans. Riding right behind him was his young thirteen year old brother Hiro.

"Hey guys!" Hiro said them, waving his hand at them.

Anna and Kristoff smiled and waved back to him. Jack took his right hand off the steering wheel for second and he held it up, waving back to him.

"Hey Hiro." He said.

Tadashi sped up and came in front of Jack jeep. Jack smiled just shook his head.

"Hey!" He said.

"Your suppose to put your light on to indicate your turn."

Tadashi only waved back to him, the back of his hand faced in Jack's direction.

"Sorry about that, Whitehead!" He called back to Jack.

"Try and and keep up with me."

With that, he drove ahead, leaving Jack with such a grin on his face. He shook his head as he set back in his seat.

"Yeah, you better keep going, knuckle head!" He said.

"Wait till I catch up To you!"

Jack laughed as he looked to his sister, who herself chuckled and shook her head. This was always the thing to happen in their small group of friends. They always messed with each other at certain times. Sometimes calling each other names or what not. Sometimes even giving special nicknames that stuck. The most common in Jack's case was whitehead, due to his white collared hair. Also sometimes, another fun factor their their friendship was that of rough housing with one and Kristoff would wrestle with one another, just as if they themselves were brothers. It wasn't mean, but it was just another way for them to mess with one another.

It was a short while later, when they had arrived at the University premis. Jack drove his jeep along a line of four parked cars, when he came across one free lot. Aside from him was Tadashi and Hiro, who had parked his red motorbike in the parking tall beside it.

The two were standing beside the scooter, holding their bags. They looked to see Jack drive into view of them. Jack turned the steering wheel, making his jeep shift positions. had pulled into one of the parking lots, where he then turned his jeep and parked it in one of the few free stalls.

Jac opened the door and turned himself to face the open way. He placed his shoe clad feet upon the ground below as he closed the door behind them.

Tadashi came around his scooter to Jack.

"Looks like we win." Tadashi said, grinning gladly.

"Hey you didn't say we were racing."said Jack as he came up and tackled with Tadashi a bit.

The two just laughed as Jack took Tadashi in a headlock and held him there for a short few seconds, his cape fell from his head, revealing his short back his short black hair. Jack gave a small nuggie before he let go.

"Hey careful, guys." Said Kristoff, watching from the view of the other side of Jack's jeep

Tadashi draped his hand across his head, flattening his black. hair back down before he took back his hat.

"Well I thought when I sped up was a clear answer to you." Tadashi said, as he placed his hat back his head.

Jack just smirked and rolled his eyes. He turned around and went the back of his jeep.

"Well you know for a fact that I can't race you." Said Jack, as he pulled his camera bag out and draped the strap over to his right shoulder. Later he grabbed his backpack and pulled it out.

"The last thing I need is a speeding ticket."

"Aw come on, Jack." Said Hiro.

"No way." Said Jack.

"I got all the money I need, ain't going to waste it on trying to pay the city back."

Kristoff and Anna came around and pulled out their bags from the back of his jeep.

"We got everything?" Said Jack.

"Yeah." Said Anna,as she put her bag behind her.

"Alright let's go."

The five friends began walking up from the parking lot and into the campus. Jack led the small group in, they passed by many other students, each one walking in a separate direction. There were also a few of the students, some of them talking with one another of certain things. Also some sitting on the grass together as a group, studying from books and notes of theirs.

"So Jack." said Hiro, as he came up to his side.

"How's photography going?"

Jack shrugged. His class in photography has been real engaging, taking photo's of certain landscapes, as well as some of the girl; who modelled in certain places. His teacher, Mr, Ethier was a hands on guy. They were outside some time, gathering photo's with what Either had showed them.

"Well, you know." He said looking to him.

"Mr. Eithers got us outside shooting photo's. Showing us some tricks and stuff."

"That's cool." Said Hiro.

"Yeah." Said Jack, nodding his head in agreement.

"How are things in the lab. How's your invention coming along."

Hiro Turned and grinned to the white haired young man.

"It's been great." He answer.

"There's some kinks to work out here and there. Some of the microbots need some reprogramming, but other then that."

"Well I can't wait to see them again." he said.

Hiro nodded his head to him.

"Thanks."

The five friends came to the stairs that lead up to the doorway to the cafeteria. Jack looked up to the doors ahead, just as one of them opened. From the one of the opening doorways, an old native man with black hair that was made into a ponytail that hung down his back. He was wearing a light blue shirt and brown vest overtop and also a blue pair of jeans. At the sight, Jack

smiled gratefully.

"Mr, Powhatan." He said, as he, Anna, Kristoff, Tadashi and Hiro stop of front of the stone steps.

The Native man came down the stairs to the last step as he faced the five friends.

"Jack." He said gladly, as he reached his hand out and shook Jack's hand.

"It's nice to see you again." Said Jack.

"As of you." He said.

Powhatan was an old biology professor in the university. Was known to be one of the most well know in the University. He recently returned last year, now helping his daughter, Pocahontas with the small restaurant they owned. He was also good friends with Jack. When Jack first came to the university, one of his major classes he chose to do was in Powhatan's field of biology. He spent two years learning from the old native professor. There was also times when Jack and his family came to his restaurant, came to eat and study as well. But after he retired, Jack grew more fonder in the field of Photography And dismissed the course.

After Powhatan retired, he often visited the University on his walks through the city. There were few times he saw Jack on the streets or driving along or what not.

"How have you been?"

"I've been doing fine." Answered Jack.

"I take it that your journey in Photography is taking you to a bright future?"

Jack nodded his head, yes.

"Getting close to my career." Said Jack.

"Pretty soon I'll be travels around and getting great photos of the world's many riches."

Powhatan smiled to his young friend.

"I have great faith in you that you will reach your dream." He said.

"Thanks." Said Jack.

"Hey, we were going into the cafeteria to get some breakfast. Would you like to join us?"

"I would like to, my friend." He said.

"But I promised my Daughter that I would be back to help her and the family with the resturaunt."

"Oh, right." Said Jack as he rubbed the back of his neck.

"Well we won't take up too much of your time."

"Think nothing of it." Said Powhatan.

"There's no need for your apology. It's been a pleasure to see you again."

"You too." Said Jack.

The native man tapped Jack's shoulder before he turned and began walking away. Jack looked toward his old native teacher as he departed from them. With all the time that passed by after Powhatan head retired, apart of Jack wished that he had stayed at the was a teacher that he looked up to. But this wasn't any of his choice. After all the years of teaching, deserved his opportunity to retire and run his restaurant.

Jack then looked to his sister and three friends.

"Come on."

Jack turned and started to climb up the steps. Anna, Kristoff, Tadashi and Hiro followed Jack to the top of the five steps. Once at the top, the five friends entered through the doors, that lead into the cafeteria.

(**So, in case you haven't guessed, we are going to be away from the jungle for a while. This is the point in the. Story, where we see the main conflict of the story. Which will be revealed in the next chapter. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed and please comment and review!)**


	28. Chapter 28

Holding his camera which sat atop a tripod, Jack aimed his camera to the long, blond haired girl, who stood in front of a blank, grey screen.

The young woman, in the middle of her twenty years of life, smiled back at him, wearing a yellow sun-dress, her hair hung down her back. She hands were held in front of her, preening up against her waist. He looked through the small, squared scoop above; getting a good look of what the photo would turn out to be.

"Okay Rapunzel." said Jay, as he focused his camera.

"Give me an elegant pose; show me a great smile like you're in a warm summer day."

The blond haired women gave but the prettiest smile that she could muster. She grinned, exposing her white teeth to him. The sight was But the exact image that Jack had in his mind.

"That's perfect." said Jack, just before he ducked down behind his camera, peering toward the small squared screen that showed the beauty of the women that stood before him.

"Just hold it right there."

Jack then pressed the bottom on his camera, as there came a flash of bright light from the two light stands at both of Jack's side.

"Alright one more." said Jack as he prepared for another shot.

As Jack took his photos of the young women, a much older man was leaning against the wall behind him. He was tall with dark brown hair, a short goatee under his chin, wearing a white shirt and a pair of jeans. A camera hung down from his neck from its strap. He only stood there, glancing toward Rapunzel with a good looking smirk upon his face. He admired the look that she presented in that yellow sun dress. He couldn't help but just stare and get the sight of her in his mind. She gazed back at him; a smirk was also upon her face. There then was another flash of light as Jack's camera set off.

"Prefect." said Jack as he lowered his camera.

Rapunzel then walked up toward Jack.

"Thanks, Rapunzel." He said smiling.

"These photos are great."

"No problem, Jack." She said.

"I'm happy to help. You know if You need anymore done..."

Jack smiled.

"I'll keep it in mind."

The young Women walked past the turned to watch her walk along. She then came to the man who was watching them.

"You know." He said.

Rapunzel stopped and turned to him.

"I could use some help with my photo's."

Jack sighed and just rolled his eyes. There he was again, hitting on his girlfriend. Rapunzel chuckled as she smiled toward him.

"Oh Eugene." She said, charmed by his manner.

"You've already got plenty of photo's of me."

Eugene leaned up off the wall. He turned to face her, keeping his charming look to Rapunzel, trying to lure her in. She only looked to him, smiling and rolling her eyes. She could never fight that look he had.

"Well I could use a lot more of them." He Flirted with the young blond women.

"That dress looks so good on you. There is no way that I'm turning up the chance to capture it."

Rapunzel just chuckled in response. It was then that Eugene took hold of her by the waist and pulled her close to him, claiming her lips. Jack gazed to the two with a look of disproving expression. Eugene was always doing this, getting all close up to his girlfriend. He was such a lady's man. It was hard to believe that Rapunzel kept on falling for it.

"I hate you." Said Rapunzel, playfully, as she hit his chest,

Eugene just chuckled.

"Aw come on." He said.

"You know you like it."

Jack took a few stepped toward the two. It was before reaching the place he wished to stand, that Rapunzel departed from her boy friend and walked past him. Eugene gazed toward her as she walked away.

"You know." Jack said.

"Photography is about taking pictures, not hitting on your girlfriend."

"What can I say, Jack?" asked Eugene, as he turned to Jack.

"I just got a thing with the ladies."

Jack just rolled his eyes at him.

"Well could you keep all the Mushy stuff somewhere else?" Asked Jack.

Eugene only shrugged.

"I'll do what I can." He said, just before walking away.

"But you know me, Jack."

As Jack gazed to his departing classmate, he shook his head and turned away. He knew Eugene very well, so there wasn't much point in asking. He knew very well what Eugene was going to do, chances are that he was going to see the last of their flirting. It may sound as if he is jealous of them, but in actuality, Jack didn't have any thoughts of envy. He wasn't desperate to have a relationship with anyone. Not at the moment anyway. He was more on the lines of trying to get his career down pat then anything. Once that was done, then he was considerable of settling down with a girl.

He was more of finding the right one for him, or at least one that was stable enough. However that was but the least on his mind. He looked down to his watch and saw it was twelve ten. This was about the time that he met up with Anna, Tadashi, Kristoff and Hiro for lunch.

"Lunch break." He said as he turned to his camera beg that sat on a table at his left.

After Jack had packed away his camera, he made his way through several hallways, before he came into the University cafeteria. The wide room filled with tables, each one was occupied by several groups of people. They talked, discussed several things that were occurring either in school or in life itself. Jack made his way through the cafeteria. He had passed by several tables that were all occupied as well as other students who walked by him before coming to the place where they served the food. He turned to a tall stack of red trays and took the one that sat at the very top. He set it down on the steel rails beside the stake, coming behind another, moving along in a short line of people. It was a short time before he finally came to one of the chefs behind the counter.

"Hey, what will it be?" He asked curiously.

"Uh, I'll have a burger and fries please."Jack answered.

"Coming up."

Jack stood and waited for his meal. All the while, he shifted his sight all around before looking behind him to the whole cafeteria. Through the massive crowd of students as well as professors, he saw in a distance Anna, Kristoff, and Tadashi sitting at a long table together. It was then the chef came set down a plate with a hamburger and fries.

Once he got his food, Jack walked through the room, carrying his tray in both his hands. He came to a long table, where he found his sister, Kristoff and Tadashi Sitting came past where Tadashi sat and to the open seat beside him. It was strange; he was expecting Hiro to be occupying that seat. He first sat down his tray of food before he came down and took his seat.

"Hey guys." He said as he settled himself.

"Where's Hiro?"

"He's back up in the lab working on his microbots." Tadashi answered.

"Hey, where have you been?"

"Sorry, just had to deal with Romeo's flirting." said Jack.

"Eugene again?" Tadashi asked curiously.

Jack nodded his head yes.

"Yeah." answered Jack, as he pleased the top half of his burger over the bottom.

"I swear those two need to get a room."

Kristoff smirked, seeing how Jack was looking based on seeing Eugene and Rapunzel having their moments of love in front of him.

"Someone sound jealous." He said.

Jack gazed up to his friend, looking so disapproved of what he said. Jealousy was not the word to be used in his situation. He didn't care that Eugene and Rapunzel were together. He was more annoyed of seeing them express their care to one another. It was pretty much a daily thing to see each day in photography.

"I'm not jealous." he said sternly, before taking his burger in his hands and taking a bit out of it.

"I don't know, whitehead." said Tadashi.

"You sound kind of jealous to me."

Jack turned and looked sternly to Tadashi. He continued to chew the piece of bread and beef in his mouth for a short few seconds before swallowing it down.

"No, I'm not." said Jack, trying to clear himself from any regard of him to that word.

"I'm perfectly fine that they are in a relationship. But I'm not looking to be involved in one yet."

"Why not?" Asked Kristoff.

"There's a lot of girls in this university that might being willing to date you."

Tadashi turned to Jack.

"Yeah." He said in agreement.

"I also heard a couple of girl talk about you. I seemed to recall one of them saying that you were… Cute."

Jack only rolled his eyes and shook his head in disparagement.

"I'm very flattered to hear that." He said.

"But I'm still not interested in dating."

"Aw come on, Jack." said Tadashi.

Anna saw his brother was getting annoyed by their constant teasing of him. She wasn't in any way wanting to let it drag on.

"Guys." Said Anna,coming into the conversation.

"Leave him alone. If he doesn't want to date then that's fine."

"Thank you, Anna." he said, happy that she was willing to break this teasing that they were laying on him.

"Look guys, I'm glad that you guys want me to date, but I'm not ready to branch out yet I want to try to get my career down pat before I start a relationship. Plus I want to wait to find the perfect girl."

The three stared at him in a manner of disbelief.

"Jack, there's no such thing as a perfect girl." Anna said.

Jack looked up to his sister.

"Well one that suits me at least." Said Jack, as he took another bite of his burger.

Kristoff turned, shifting his eyes from his friend. He set his sights ahead to the cafeteria entrance. It was through the open doors that he saw the Universities top professor, Robert Callaghan. He was a tall elderly man with thin greyish hair and wore a dark red sleeveless wool shirt over a light blue button shirt and a brown pair of pants. The professor walked into the cafeteria, moving in the direction toward their table.

"Guys heads up." Said Kristoff as he looked to Jack, Anna and Tadashi.

"Professor Callaghans coming this way."

Jack turned and gazed back, where he was met with the sight of the approaching professor.

"What's the president of the University doing in the cafeteria?" Jack asked curiously, knowing that the staff had their own place to eat.

"I don't think he's here for the food." Said Anna.

Tadashi turned back toward Kristoff and Anna.

"If I had to guess, I think he wants to see us." Said Tadashi.

Professor Callaghan came up before the four students.

"Hello, Jack, Anna, Kristoff, Tadashi." He said in his gravelling voice.

"Hello Professor Callaghan." Said Jack as he turned to him.

"How's your day been?" He asked.

"It's been alright." Said Jack as he turned his chair.

"How about yours?"

"It's been fine, thank you Jack." he said back to the young white haired man.

"I actually came by to see you five. Although it doesn't seem that Hiro is here."

"My brothers back at the lab." Tadashi said.

"He's caught up with his invention."

"Well that's too bad." Said Callaghan.

"So what did you want to talk to us about?"asked Anna curiously.

"Well, I was wondering if I could ask you for a favor."

The four friends looked to one another curiously. It wasn't everyday that the president of the university would ask for a favor from four students, especially coming from that of the president of all people. Of course, they were always happy to oblige to his request.

"Sure, what do you need?" Asked Jack as he looked back up to him.

"Well as you know, professor McCoy has recently passed away." Callaghan explained, referring the physicist teach who died a few weeks ago due to his age.

"I was just asking I've you would be so kind as to clear out his office."

"You want us to clear Mccoy's Office?' Asked Kristoff, curiously.

"Well not exactly." Said Callaghan.

"We just need his research to be sorted through and put into storage."

"Well sure." Said Anna.

"We'd be happy too."

"Yeah." Said Tadashi.

Callaghan smiled gratefully. He knew that he could count on these four for help.

"Thank you." He said, nodding his head.

"Don't be in any rush. You guys can start after you finish eating. I'll be sure to have a recycling bin there for you."

"Thanks." Said Jack.

"We'll get on it soon."

Professor Callaghan then turned and began walking away from the four friends, heading back to the open doorway. After he had left sight, Jack turned around in his seat, facing toward his meal.

"Damn." said Jack, thinking of the past professor.

"All that hard work and theory all gone to waste."

Tadashi shook his head in agreement.

"And to think." He said turning to Jack.

"He was on the way of proving one of them."

Jack turned and sighed. He took hold of his burger and brought it up to his face, taking another bite.

(**I hope you enjoyed this chapter, the next shall I reveal the conflict of this story. I look forward to it. If there are any requests or ideas you wish to share, feel free to. And as always, please comment and review!)**


	29. Chapter 29

After they had finished with lunch, the four friends made their way to Professor Mccoys office. After they left through the doorway of the cafeteria that lead outside the building, the four friends made their way across to the complex ahead of them. The four friends walked up the steps to the two front doors. Jack reached out and grabbed Onto the door handle. He pulled it open before walking in, still holding it open for his sister. After she came and,pushed the door open for herself and Kristoff, Jack came into the front lobby of the complex.

He began walking toward the hallway, till it was then the right wall came into view, revealing two elevator doo. rs. There was a few people there, waiting at the left one for the arrival of their defending platform.

"Right here, guys." Said Jack as he turned to the elevator doors.

Jack came up to the elevator on the right of the other. It was by that time the doors opened and the several students walked. As they settle, Jack came toward the open elevator doors."Hey is there..."

Before he finished the elevator door closed, sliding over the open doorway.

"I guess not." Said Jack as he turn to Anna, Kristoff and Tadashi.

"Looks like we're taking this one."

Jack came pass the right elevator door and pressed the arrow like button that pointed upward. He stepped back, gazing above the elevator door to the five floor numbers above, placing his hands on his hips. Slowly did the the yellow light shifted from four to three. Anna, Kristoff and Tadasho stood behind him, waiting patiently for the doors to open.

"I feel bad about doing this." Said Anna.

"I mean, just getting rid of all the work Mr, McCoy did."

"Well there's not much we can do about it." Said Tadashi.

"He's already made quite a constribution to physics, some of it will be remembered."

"Yeah, it's not like we're just going to toss him away." Said Kristoff.

"just gotta make way for someone new."

"I know your right, it's just... He was a really great guy."

The four friends could all agree on that. He was a really great guy and a very well educated professor. They've met him in several time in the past, he offered such great wealth of knowledge to many things. He wasn't a professor who was full of his theory and believe that he was right. He was always open to hear whatever opinion there was from he's colleges. It was a shame for him to have passed away at this time. Just then, the elevator door the slid to the side, opening to a boxed room with mirrors on the back and both sides.

"Finally." Said Jack, relieved that it was the door opened.

"Alrights lets go."

Jack walked into the elevator as his sister and friends came in after him. Once they were all aboard, Tadashi pressed the forthbutton, making it light up. The door the slid over the open entrance and seal them inside. The small boxed room then began to be be pulled upward to the forth floor above. Jack walked and leaned back on the wall behind him, making the mirror relect his back. All the while they waited for their stop.

After a few short minutes of waiting, their elevator finally stopped and the door way came open.

"Here we are." Said Kristoff as he walked out the open doorway.

Jack leaned off the wall and walked out of the elevator along with his friends.

"Alright let's get to his office." He said.

The four began walking down the hallway leftward of them. Just ahead of them was a corner that shifted right. As they came upon the turning corner, they came to see a large blue recycling bin, sitting next to the door of Mccoys office. Jack stood there, staring toward the blue bin. He sighed, seeing what was to be the last time he would see this to be Mccoys office. Just as Anna, he didn't want to just throw away all he had made. He was a friend and he didn't want to just toss away all that he did in his time of life, but just as Kristoff said, you gotta make way for the new.

"Let's get this over with." He sighed as he walked over toward the doorway.

"Kristoff can you bring the bin in?"

"Sure I got it." Said Kristoff.

Jack came to the front of the door. He reached for the handle and pulled it down, opening it to reveal the old professors office. It was a wide boxed room with a desk in the centre of it all. There was also shelves of books, some of them binders of his research and also white boards, one at the back, littered with equations.

"Alright, let's start with his book shelves." Said Jack.

Jack walked up to the tall, full case of books.

"What should we do about his books?" Asked Anna, curiously.

"I think Callaghan would want us to take them to the library." Said Jack, as he began taking books from the high shelves down.

"We might need some boxes."

Jack turned to Kristoff, as he saw him push the recycling bin inside the office.

"Hey Kristoff." He said.

"Could you go down and see if you can get some boxes, we're going to need them for theses books."

"I'm on it." Said Kristoff, as he turned and walked out the door.

As Kristoff left the room, the young white haired man turned to the wall on his right. There upon the white surface lied a framed picture of McCoy. Jack walked to face the picture. The full frame ame before him and was given sight of the full picture. There he was, an old Professor, dressed in a grey site with a red tie, standing in front of the picture, holding his masters dagree in front of him. To both his sides there was professor Callaghan and a man with brown hair and a thin mustache. For a moment, Jack only stood there staring at the photo, thinking in aww of his passing.

As he continued to gaze upon the picture, it was then his sister came up next to him. She placed her hand upon his shoulder. Jack turned to Anna, seeing her look in such grief as he. As Jack looked back to the photo, he focused his sights on Professor McCoy for sa short while. It was then that Anna looked from McCoy and her sights came upon the man who stood at the right.

"Hey who's that?" She asked curiously.

"Huh?" Asked Jack as he turned to her.

"That guy right beside McCoy." Anna said pointed to the man with the thin mustache.

Jack turned back to the picture and looked to the man who stood next to McCoy. He stared curiously, for never in his time in the University had he seen him.

"I don't know." Said Jack.

"I've never seen him before."

Jack turned to Tadashi, who was standing in front of McCoy's filing cabinets and looking through all that he had stored away.

"Hey Tadashi!" Said Jack.

Tadashi stopped and turned to Jack.

"Do you know who this guy is?"

"What guy?" Tadashi asked as he walked around the desk and came up to him and Anna.

Jack turned back to the picture and pointed to the guy on the right.

"This guy." he said.

Tadashi looked to the man in the photo. Upon his sight of the man did the young Aisan looked in in recognition of who it was

"Hey, that's Professor Adgar." He said.

Jack and Anna turned to Tadashi curious of what he knew.

"Professor Adgar?" Said Jack.

"Yeah, he was one of the Universities top professors." Tadashi explained.

"I actully read about him in several articles in science magazines. They said that he reaserch end several theory's to do with biology. He and professor Callaghan were also colleges, they both studied in the same schools together."

"So what happened to him?" Asked Jack as he turned to Tadashi.

Tadashi turned to Jack.

"I don't know." He said.

"Last I heard, people said that he became obsessed with some reaserch on a herb. After of which they said that he and his family disappeared somewhere in Africa trying to find it."

Tadashi turned back to the photo.

"The whole University said that he went mad. He said that this would be a break through and it would be a new medicine, might even be a cure for cancer."

Jack was comeletly left without a single thought of doubt about what he heard about Adgar. He sounded to be as they way he was decribed. To be consumed by his own thoughts. It wasn't that he didn't believe that there was a cure for cancer, but this sounded to be something out of Science-fiction.

"Your right." Said Jack as he gazed back to the picture.

"He sounds completly sain to me."

Jack turned away from the picture and walked to the other side of the room. Tadashi turned and followed after him. Anna turned back to the frame. She came up and took the picture from the wall and brought to McCoys desk.

With a passing hour, Jack Anna and Tadashi had already cleared out most of McCoy's shelves of his book. Anna and Jack had already cleared the top shelves from the professors books. Tadashi had went through his cabinet, tossing most of his papers and equations in the the blue bin. Over top of McCoys desk was stakes of books aswell as hindered filled with his reaserch papers. Jack was kneeling down at the middle shelf, taking the books off and setting them down on the desk behind him.

Just then, Kristoff walked in carrying boxes in his arms.

"I'm back." he said.

Jack turned to Krisrtoff and stood up from the floor.

"What took you so long?" Asked Jack.

"Sorry." He said as he came up with the boxes and set them down in front of the desk.

"I went to cafe here. Had to wait through a long line before I could ask if they had any. It was a good thing too, there were going to throw them out soon."

Jack came around and took one of the boxes.

"Think these will be enough?" Kristoff asked, having to only carry seven of them in a stake.

"I think they'll do." Said Jack, before he turned walked back around the desk.

"Alright, let's put his books in some of these boxes."

Jack set the box down on the ground as he turned and picked up a stack of books and set them down in the box. As he, Kristoff and Anna continued to fill the boxes with McCoys belongings. Tadashi continued to skim through his filing cabinet and pull out files that kept his work in an orderly fashion. As he pulled out his files, Hde skimmed through the Professors notes and equations. Some of them seemed to be well though out as can be expected.

Tadashi closed the binder and shut the cabinet drawers.

"That's another cleared." He said as he walked up to the recycling bin and open the lid, throwing it in with alot of his work.

"Still can't believe we're getting rid of all his things."

"Me either." Said Jack as set his books down in the box.

"A man's great work all gone to waste."

Tadahsi nodded his head to Jack before he turned back to the filing cabinet. He came to the very top and slid the drawer open. There was another huge line of files to go through. Tadashi sighed as he began to rummage through the files. As he pulled one out, the young Aisan opened the folder, expecting to find more of McCoy's work. However, upon opening the folder and skimming through the notes, the young adult came to find something strange.

"What the..." He said as he read.

As he continued to skirmish through the folder, he came to find more notes. Each of them were talking about a chemicle forrmula's and also testing of a strange herb. As he continued reading through the notes, he came across a name written at the top. Professor Adgar Handrick. Tadashi's eyes widen. This was professor Adgar's work. The reaserch he was doing before his disappearance.

"Oh my god." He said in a whispering tone.

"Tadashi?" Jack called.

"Huh?!" He said, lifting his sights from the notes and turning to Jack, Anna and Kristoff who were staring towar him.

"This is no time to be reading right now." Said Jack.

"We still got to pack up the rest of Mcoys stuff."

"Hang on." He said as he turned to them.

"Think I found something."

"What is it?" Kristoff asked curiously.

Tadashi came up to the desk, continuing to read the notes in the folder.

"I just found a folder bunch of notes and formulas about a herb." Tadashi explained.

"Whats McCoy doing studying a plant?" Asked Kristoff asked curiously.

"These arn't McCoy's." Tadashi said.

"This is Professor Adgars work."

The three stood curiously, looking to Tadashi.

"Let me see that." Said Jack as he came around to him.

Tadashi gave the folder to Jack. The young white haired man read through a few of the notes. They all were explanations that discribes a herb with had a strange chemicle formula that could be used in traditional medicine. There was also some of entries of some strang tribe legend that told of a healing plant. Adgar had went one to explain that tribes men were of a strange mind set that this was a gods gift to them. For whenever they found the erb had it brought them a cure for their sick and injured.

"So this is what the guy was studying?" Jack asked.

Tadashi nodded his head. While it may had sounded something fictional. It did look to give something promising.

"What's it doing here in McCoys office?" Asked Kistoff curiously.

"It's possible that he might have wanted to continued on with Adgars work." Tadashi said, knowing that McCoy was also knew allot about Biology.

"Who knows." Said Jack as he looked back to the notes and continued to read the notes.

"Hey guys hear this... The Test subject I treated with the sample of the herb has proven to be making a recovery from it's wound. The herb sample had healed any sort of damage dome to it mussel or flesh and is well on it's way to being able to walk again."

Jack lifted his head from the notes as he continued to ponder about what he read.

"This guy was on the fast track of making a scientific discovery." Jack asid as he looked to Tadashi.

"This sounds like it could be a possible Medicene."

"So he was in the mindset of finding something that could help people." Said Kristoff.

"That's what he was saying he was doing." Said Tadashi.

Jack continued to ponder about this. He knew at first that this sounded to be something out of science fiction, but with what he read, this did indeed sound as if it could be a possible breakthrough in the field of Medicene. For them to have come across such a thing was but a great oppertonity for them.

"So if it was that he was actully on to something?" Jack said.

"Maybe this could be real. I mean, people are in the hospital sick and injued. This could be something we need."

Tadashi, Anna and Keistoff were all in the same mindset. With a need for Medicene and treatment to people sick or sufering injury. This could in fact be the next best thing to be furthered.

"Jack might be right." Tadashi said.

"We should take this to Callahan's office and see if we could get this reaserch continued with."

**(I hope u all enjoyed this chapter, I know that some of you want to return to the jungle, don't worry we'll get back to it soon, I promise. And as always, please comemnt and review.)**


	30. Chapter 30

The four friends had walked out through the front doors of the building. As they walked down the stairs, Jack flipped open the folder and continued to read all the scientific facts that it contained. It was according to the words presented to him that the herb had some kind of chemical that could help regenerate the wound of the victiem. The journal entries in the folder had explained that all his test subjects received a great healing rate from the small samples of the plant. Those that were slick were also treated and brought back to health. With this reaserch continued and more samples found, there could perhaps be a bright future for the University.

"I think I'm getting a good feeling about this." Said Jack turned to Tadashi, Kristoff and Anna.

"It's definitely something that Professor Callaghan would say yes to. Just imagine, San-Frinsisco University makes a break through in the world of Science as we know it. A new form of medicine taht can both treat sick patients as well as injured. The whole country would be giving a massive fund for it. Think how many people we'll save."

"Yeah." Kristoff agreed.

"We'll be know as the four university freshmen that brought hope to people who are suffering."

"Not to mention, we'll make this University the biggest symbol for education." Said Tadashi.

The four friend could only dream of the doors that would open. Not only would the University be a savour to the public eye, but also become a place of great weath an knolage with the funding. They could further other work of physasits and engineers. This was the chance of a lifetime, for them to prove themselves to the University and the whole country. But there was something Els that Jack though of, something importent to him.

"We might even be able to give a better life for our families." Jack said, looking to his sister.

Anna looked in a curious manner to her older brother. She didn't exactly see as to what was so wrong with the life they had. They seemed to be fine the way they are.

"What's wrong with the one we got?" Asked Anna curious.

"Well nothing, but..." Said Jack.

"Don't you think we should leave something behind for Jamie and Riley. I mean give them the life we never had?"

In that manner of speaking, Anna could see where he was coming from. With the love and care they had for their family, the would do anything for them. It wasn't like there life was bad or anything like, but it wouldn't be so bad to give their younger brother and sister the life they deserved.

"Well I guess." She said.

"Come on, Anna." Said Jack.

"Our family deservers this more then anything. After everything that happened, we should at least give them a better life."

Anna then showed a smile and nodded her head, agreeing with what Jack was saying.

"Yeah, your right Jack." She said.

Our family does deserve a better life."

Jacked smiled to his younger sister. There wasn't any dought in his mind that he couldn't count on her. They both wanted their family to be given a life worth living. It was for them that they will see it through.

"Now that's my sister talking."

It was a short time before they came to the main office buliding on campus. On the very top of five floors, the four were walking down a long hallway at the third floor of the main office building in the university. Jack held the stuffed folder of research close to his left side, as he walked in the front of the group. Up ahead at the end of the hallway stood the door to Professor Callahan's office. The four were all so eager for this moment to come. With the discovery of what could possibly be a new medicine, they were all so eager to show the president of the University of the possibilities that Professor Adgar had left for them. This could be something that would open a door for the whole University.

With so much promising factors before them, they were all so excited to hear what Callaghan had to say. Jack came up to the wooden door that stood before them. Jack raised his right hand up wards and knocked upon the surface of the door. He then stepped back and slid his hand in his pocket. It was a sort second before they were given a response.

"Come in." Callaghan said.

Jack turned to his two friends and younger sister

"Alright guys." He said, reaching for the door handle.

"Moment of truths."

Jack pushed down the handle and pushed the door opened.

"Professor Callaghan?" He said as he stepped foot in his office.

It was a small room with two windows at the left and the back behind the aging professor was sitting behind his desk, filling out some paperwork. Callaghan gazed up from his papers and looked the opened door, to which he was greeted by the sight of Jack, Anna, Kristoff and Tadashi. A smiled appeared on his face just as he set down the sheet he had in hand.

"Jack, Anna, Tadashi and Kristoff." he said.

"Come in."

"We're not keeping you from anything are we?" Asked Jack.

"No, not all." Callaghan said.

"please come in."

The four friends came into his office. Kristoff was the last one in after of which he turned shut the door behind him.

"I trust that you have Professor McCoy's things ready for his family." He said.

Jack and Anna came and sat in the two seats that stood in front of Callaghans desk. The two siblings looked to one another, knowing that they were not entirely finished with it.

"Well not exactly." Said Anna.

Callaghan looked to Jack curious to what was meant by that.

"We've got got most of his things ready to go." Answered Jack.

"But while we were doing it we came across something in his filing cabinet."

"Oh really?" Said The professor, curious to hear what it was the found.

"What did you find?

"We found this reaserch that seems to in the field of biology." Said Tadashi.

"It seems like something the University should further."

Jack handed Callaghan the folder they had found. The aging professor took the folder and then sat back in his chair. Upon opening it, he began to skim through the papers inside, taking in the info they held. Jack and Anna looked to one another, each of them believing that there was going to be an acceptance to their request. Callaghan was always opened to find anything for the University to find and research. The research by professor Adgar would surely be something of great knowledge to the focus studies upon. However their expectations would soon to be proven false. As they looked back to Callaghan who continued to read the research they found, a frown appeared on his face.

He then looked up from the papers and looked to have a shocked expression on his face. He closed the cover of light brown binder and set it down on his desk. He sat in silence for a moment before gazing up toward the four.

"Well…?" Anna asked.

"What do you think?"

There came no answer from the professor. Jack looked curiously to professor Callaghan. He saw the elder professor gazing back down to the folder full of research. He stared completely horrified as if he had witnessed something tragic. The research of his long lost college and friend, brought here upon his desk. The one thing that his friend had put his life's time into finding, but also the one thing that had driven him to his disappearance.

"Where did you say you found this?" He asked, looking back up to them.

"McCoy's filing cabinet." Jack answered.

Callaghan was once more silent as he continued to stare down at the folder. Jack was left a bit confused. It wasn't the reaction that he expected from him, not on the topic of finding what could be a new scientific discovery. He seemed to be shocked and it was apparent that he was surprised. Thought not the way he was expecting.

"We each read over the research and we thought it could be something that the University should look into."

Callaghan shook his head no.

"I'm afraid that this is out of the question." He said.

The four stood speechless. Jack turned to Anna with an expression of astonishment that Callaghan had turned down a chance to discover a new medicine. Here was a great opportunity for the University and yet it was responded with disinterest.

"What?" Jack said as he turned back to the university president.

"Professor Callaghan, you can't be serious." Said Tadashi.

"I mean…"

"I am serious, Mr Hamada." he said as he got up out of his desk.

"This university is looking for actual science discoveries. Not some jungle folklore."

"But Professor, this is your friends work." Kristoff pointed out.

"Why wouldn't you want us to continue on with his research?"

The aging professor sighed and turned to the window behind him that overlook the entire campus of the University. While it stood to be the truth that Adgar was his friend, a great friend at that. But however there was still a factor that discouraged him from accepting the friends request to further Adgar's lifelong work. It was what Adgar had turned into that brought a concerning feeling for him. His eternal dedication to find the answers he seeked for the questions he had, brought him to the point where he was so condemned and obsessed with it. He wanted nothing more then to find this herb and he followed this path all the way, till the disappearance of him and his family. He feared that the same would happen to these four young minds. For them to follow the same path that his friend had gone, to suffer the same as him, his wife and young daughter. Callaghan couldn't let it be so.

"He was my friend." Said Callaghan, remembering his past with Adgar.

"We've been together since I was the same age as you, Jack."

Callaghan turned to the four friends.

"But you should know that even with that, I don't agree with all that Professor Adgar had done in his time."

The professor walked around his desk and came to an old picture that stood on the wall beside the window.

"He was one of the greatest minds of our time." Callaghan explained.

"And his achievement and construction to science was duly recognized by me. But It was how he used his choices of researching that I didn't see the same eye as he did. This was one of those matters of speaking."

"You didn't agree with his work on this?" Asked Jack.

"Not at first." The professor said.

"The first day he came from his trip to Africa he told me all about this herb. He said that it was a secret medicine used by a trip somewhere in the Congo. They said it was a rare gift from their gods and spirit to heal their people when they were sick or injured."

Callaghan turned to his four visitors.

"Just like you, I was astonished by it. I supported him with his choice to research it. But I saw what it was turning him into. He spent so much time with his research of the herb so much to the point that he had neglected the people around him. I tried convincing him of what he was doing, but he didn't listen to me."

Callaghan sighed and frowned. Jack sat in silence as he listaned to the professor's story of his fellow college.

"He was already so obsessed with finishing his work."

Callahan turned and picks up the folder full of research.

"It was this obsession that killed my friend." Callaghan explained As he handed the folder back to Jack.

"I'm sorry, but I'm afraid that I can't allow the university to continue this research."

"But professor…" Said Jack.

Before he could speak, Callaghan took away his chance.

"Jack." He said.

"I respect what you all are trying to convince me. But there's something you have to learn. There are things in life we have to learn are not worth following, no matter how great the reward may seem."

Jack narrowed his head as he pondered to what Callaghan had said. He respected the president to no end, but he felt comply

"Now, is there anything else that I should be notified of?" Asked the University president.

The four shook their heads no.

"No." Said Jack.

"There's nothing else." Jack said Just before getting up from his seat.

"We'll let ourselves out."

Callaghan nodded his head to them.

"Very well." He said.

"I'm sorry for not accepting your request. But I think that it's best for this to be left in the past."

The young white haired man nodded his head.

"I understand."

Jack turned to his friends as they walked back toward the doorway. Kristoff was the first to be faced with the doorway and turned the doorknob and pulled the door open and walked out into the hallway. Tadashi and Anna followed after him and Jack was to last to walk out the door. Coming out into the hall, he closed the door behind him, feeling so unsatisfied by the answer given by Callaghan.

"Well that didn't go as well as we thought." Anna said.

Jack sighed and began to walk back down the hallway. Tadashi, Kristoff and Anna followed after him. Anna came o his side and looked to her brother.

"So what do we do now?"

Jack only shrugged.

"I don't know." He said.

Jack kept walking down the hall, pondering about their denied request for the continuation of Professor Adgars reaserch. He found it to be completly dumbfounded that Callaghan just turned it down. This was such a remarkable find for the world of science aand he only turned a blind eye to it because of the fate Adgar had endured.

"I don't believe this." He said as he and his sister and friends walked down the hall.

"This is a great scientific discovery and he just just turns it down."

"Jack, I think that Professor Callaghan might be right about this." said Tadashi.

"I mean this is a rare plant if it does exist. Even if the he said yes, what would happen if we couldn't find it?"

"Yeah, but he turned it down becasue of his friend." Said Jack turning to Tadashi.

"I mean, he didn't think what this could be for the university."

"Well what can we do?" Kristoff asked.

"He just turned it down and I doubt he's going change his mind."

The four friends came to the elevator doors at the end of the hall. Jack press the bottom just before he stood back from the silver doors. He looked back down to the folder in his hand. He couldn't neglect what the information of this research he read, the theory that it had brought to mind. This couldn't just be shoved to the side and ignored.

"Guys, what if... We continued it?" He asked turning to his sister and two friends.

,The three turned to Jack, gazing with a surpised expression.

"What?!" said Anna.

Just then, the elevator doors slid open, revealing a boxed shape room with mirrors on each side and at the back.

"I'm serious." Said Jack as he walked into the elevator.

"We can continue Adgars reaserch."

"Jack are you kidding?" said Kristoff as he came on board the elevator.

"We don't even know anything about Biology."

"Then we'll have to get someone who does." Jack suggested.

The four friends had all piled into the elevator. The doors then slid back over the open entrance and the elevator bega to decend downward to the main floor.

"Come on, guys." Said Jack.

"We didn't just find this reaserch and then just decide to dump it because Callaghan rejected it. This is something the world needs. If Adgar is correct about what he was reaserching, then think of what we can do for those people who need help."

Anna, Tadashi and Kristoff looked to one another. With all that Jack had said, he did bring up a good point. This was a new medicine they were turning down. People suffering because of sickness or injury, they needed what could be a saving grace from their suffering. They couldn't just toss away a chance as great as this, not with that on the line.

"I hate to say it but, Jacks right." Kristoff said.

"We shouldn't just Bail on this."

Anna and Tadashi nodded their heads, knowing that Jack was right.

"Yeah,we're in." Said Anna.

The young white haired man smiled proudly to his friends. Their choice to handle this matter would bring so much, he knew it to be true.

"Alright, so we're all on the same page." He said.

"Let's finish what Adgar began."

(**I hope you all enjoyed this chapter, I hop to start the next one tomorrow and hopefully do a better job. Anyways, please comment and review.)**


	31. Chapter 31

As they lowered their hands, there was sudden ding found from above. The small squared light shifted to the letter M that was the stood to be lastThe elevator came to the main floor and the doors slid open.

"So where do we begin?" Asked Anna, confused on how they would start furthering the research.

The four friends walked out of the elevator and turned to the main door. Along the way the discussed over their plans to further professor Adgars research. The matter that stood before them was to find help by whoever knew the study of living things. With little knowledge from either Tadashi, Kristoff and Anna, and a small amount on the part of Jack, they were no fit to handle a field like this.

"Well like I said before," said Jack.

"We need someone who's an expert in the field of biology."

"But who?" Anna asked curiously.

"Well let's let's think for a moment." Said Kristoff.

"Who do we know that knows Biology?"

On the topic of Biology, there was but one man that Jack had in mind. He had studied with him during his short years with him of teaching and he might even be of some help one.

"I think I might know the guy." Said Jack.

"Powhatan."

Tadashi, Anna and Kristoff looked to each other. Both of them of the same mindset as Jack. They all knew that Powhatan was once a professor of biology. He knows much of the studies of living things, from animal to plants. He had a great understanding of nature itself and could possibly help further their research.

"Right." Said Anna.

"Powhatan could help us out."

"Yeah, but probably back at his restaurant." Said Tadashi, thinking about their classes.

"Don't we have any more classes to go to?"

With that said, Anna then remembered She did have a class in American history in thirty minutes.

"Oh!" She said in realization.

"That's right. I got to get to history class soon."

"Well, I can go ask him." Jack offered.

"I don't have any classes to go to."

"Me either." Said Kristoff.

"What about you Tadashi?"

Tadashi thought back to his work at the lab. He was meaning to get back to after lunch and might even finish it by the evening. But as he pondered more of it and with his want to help further Edgar's research, he began to change the mindset. He had already had done allot of work on his invention this morning. It was coming together well, there wasn't anything that needs to be checked or fixed. At best, he can finish before lunch tomorrow.

"Well, I guess I could tag along," He said.

"Alright." Said Jack, knowing the matter Was settled.

"Let's head over to his restaurant."

"Let's go." Said Kristoff as he, Tadashi, Jack and Anna began walking toward the doorway outside.

The four friends came outside the building. As Anna came through the open doorway, she parted leftward from her brother, Tadashi and Kristoff.

"I'll see you guys later," She said.

"No prob.' Said Jack.

"We'll pick you up after we get back."

Jack, Tadashi and Kristoff began to walk the other way to the parking lot where they had left Jack's Jeep. Anna came into the open schoolyard of the university. There were so many other students wandering around, some building to building while others She carried her backpack full of history books, it felt like she was carrying a bag of heavy bricks. As she walked along the cement walkway, is he then heard the someone calling out.

"Heads up!"

Anna turned to see a senior student throw a football offer head. As he turns to look the other way, she was suddenly hit by something in front of her. She was forced backwards, with the weight of her backpack she felt herself be forced down to the ground. Before feeling herself hit the hard ground below, she felt her hand be grabbed and she hung with the ground close from below her. She gazed upward at the person who had caught her in time. It was upon seeing the person that the young women looked in awe. For standing before her was a young browned haired man in his late twenties with brown hair and sideburns, wearing a dark business suit.

"You alright?" He asked in concern for her condition.

Anna was still completely stunned by the looks of the man who had caught her from falling.

"Hi," She said, smiling.

To which she was snapped back into reality.

"OH UH...yeah I'm fine."

The young man then pulled her up onto her feet.

"Thank you," She said, hauling her back-back up again.

"Sorry about knocking into you." Said the young man.

"I was..."

"No, no, it's fine." Insisted Anna.

"I should have been watching where I was going, but I got a bit distracted and... You know."

Anna just chuckled as she looked at the stranger. He smiled in return.

"Well, thank goodness you weren't hurt," He said.

The man then came to the thought that he should introduce himself.

"Oh uh, my name is Hans." He said extending his hand to her.

"Hans Tertrome."

Anna reached out and shook his hand.

"I'm Anna," She said.

"It's nice to meet you, Anna," He said just before drawing his hand back.

"You too," She said back.

For a short while, Anna stared at Hans, completely entranced to how handsome and charming he was. Not even for a second could she look away from him as strange feelings came over her. Her palms felt sweet you and she felt a bit nervous as to what to say next. To which it came as a reminder of her class of history. Anna was snapped back to reality as she began to realize she was wasting time.

"Oh, shoot!" She cursed.

"I got to go, my history class's is going to start soon."

"Oh, well how about I walk with you there." Hans offered

Anna was without an answer, her cheeks began to turn red.

"Uh..."

"Please, I insist." He said.

"It's the least I can do for delaying you. If you turn out late then I'll take the blame for it."

Anna then finally accepted Han's request.

"Well...Okay." She said.

"Follow me."

Anna began walking ahead and Hans turned to follow her. As the two stumbled along the walkway, Anna turned to take another gaze to looked back to her, giving such a grin to her. Anna only turned away, blushing.

"So...Hans." Said Anna trying to figure out what to ask him.

"What is it that you do... I mean, what do you do for a living?"

"I work for my family company," Hans said.

"I am a supervisor for S, I, E."

Anna looked at him curiously.

"S, I, E?" She asked curiously.

"Southern Isles Enterprises," Hans answered.

To that answer, Anna was then familiarized to what company. They were a company that was resolved around conducting research and experimenting. The University had been acquainted with them for the most part. The CEO was once friends with professor Callaghan. This was the University that he had attended and he was always looking to be a provider to the University. He authorized to lend new technology, equipment and funding to them.

"OH, I think I've heard of that Company," Anna said.

"Um... Wasn't the CEO named Richard Tertrome?'

"Yes, he's was my father." Said Hans.

"Your father?" Anna said.

Hans shook his head.

"Yeah." Said Hans

"Right, now I remember." Said Anna.

"So what is it that you supervise?" Asked Anna curiously.

"I supervise pretty much the experiments or the research team we have." Hans explained.

"My father was always looking to come across any discovery that would place our company on the top. Now that he passed on and my brother has been named the CEO of the company, we've mainly been focused on inventing new machines that can be used to conduct experiments in science"

"Really?" Said Anna.

"Wow. That quite exciting."

Hans only shrugged.

"Not really," he said.

"For the most part, we've all ran into dead ends and had some malfunctions with several prototypes. So far we've hadn't been getting anywhere with it."

"Oh, well." Said Anna.

"I'm actually studying history."

"Oh really?" Asked Hans, turning to her.

"Yep." Said Anna.

"I'm looking for a career to something like a historian or a museum guide. If you wanna know, I can give a great lecture on the Roman Empire."

Hans shook his head, really impressed by the girls knowledge of History.

"Sounds quite interesting." Said Hans.

"Thank you." Said Anna, blushing a bit.

It was that time that they two hand came to the entrance of a four-floored building. Hans reached for the door and pulled it open for Anna.

"Ladies first," He said.

Anna smiled gratefully and walked through the doorway.

"Thank you, again," She said as she came into the building.

Hans came to the door and walked in with her. The two began walking down the hallway to their leftward from them. Up ahead was and opened a doorway to a classroom, where a few others walked inside for their lesson. Anna turned back toward Hans.

"Thank you for walking me here," She said.

Hans nodded his head to her. It was the least that he could have done after bumping into her earlier.

"Your welcome," He said.

"I'm just glad to be of some help."

"Well, I think I should bump into you more often." Said Anna, making Hans smirk.

Anna gave a chuckled afterwards.

"So, I'll see you around?" She said.

Anna then turned and began walking toward the classroom doorway. As she came not even a few feet from it, she was then stopped by the sound of Hans' voice.

"Wait!" He called out to her.

Anna stopped and looked back to Hans. She was curious as to what was the reason he had called for at this time. She was hoping that it wouldn't be long. He came over toward her, to which she turned to face him.

"I don't suppose," He said.

"Yeah?" Anna asked curiously.

"Would you like to go out with me?" Hans asked curiously.

Anna was left completely speechless at Hans's request. She didn't expect to a question like that to have ever been brought up. That was a major factor from someone she had just met.

"Uh, well," She said, trying to think of her answer.

"All so sudden."

"I'm not asking for like a big date," Hans said.

"But something like... Coffee or.."

Anna thought for a moment before she finally gave an answer.

"Well, Okay," She said, accepting his request.

"Great," Hans said, smiling.

"When is a good time for you?"

Anna thought for a moment. She didn't have any plans for tonight and there wasn't anything for her tomorrow.

"How about tonight?" She asked curiously.

"I can work with that," He said.

"What time shall I pick you up?"

"How about... Six?" Asked Anna.

"Then it's a date," He said as he reached into the breast pocket of his suit and pulled out a card.

"Here's my card," He said, handing her a dark grey card.

"Give m a call and we'll iron out the details."

Anna took the card and looked up to him.

"Sure," She said.

"See you tonight."

With that, Hans turned and began walking back down the hallway. Anna gazed down at the card he had given her. Upon the thin side that she faced was all his contact information. She felt exhilaration overcome her from the fact she had a date with a man, tonight for that manner. She felt as if she wanted to jump and squeal, a few times in her life had she couldn't stand to wait.

Far from the university, Jack, Kristoff and Tadashi were driving down the street where Powhatan's restaurant stood one of the two sides. As they cruised along the street, it was then that they came across a restaurant where three cars were parked in front. There stood one open space between the vehicles where they could park. Jack turned his blue jeep and settled into the clear lot.

"Here we are, gentlemen." Said Jack as he opened the door and stepped out of the jeep.

After of which he slammed his door shut and walked toward the entrance that stood before them. Kristoff had already gotten out through the passenger side door along with Tadashi. The three friend came to the glass door that leads into the restaurant. Jack pulled opened the door and walked inside, holding it for Kristoff and Tadashi as they entered.

As the four friends came inside, they found a wide room of tables that most were occupied by customers. From far in the back, Jack same Powhatan's daughter, Pocahontas, young native women with long black hair, wearing a light blue shirt and a pair of jeans, serving drinks to a couple who sat at a booth table. After she had placed their two drinks down upon the table, she turned and saw Jack, Kristoff and Tadashi standing at the front door.

"Jack," She said as she began walking toward them.

"Hey, Poca." He said nodding his head to her as she came up to him.

She turned to Kristoff and Tadashi.

"Kristoff, Tadashi!"

Kristoff nodded his head to her as Tadashi shook his hand.

"Hey." Said Kristoff.

"How have you been?" Jack asked.

"I haven't seen you for a while?"

"I've been fine, Jack," She said, smiling.

"I've just been helping my father around the restaurant, you know."

Jack smirked and nodded his head.

"Same old you," He said.

Pocahontas chuckled a bit at his remark. Being friends with her father for some time, Pocahontas and Jack shared but the same relationship with each other. They had been good friends, often hanging out whenever he would visit them. At one point, Jac had asked her out for some coffee. It had gone well for the most part and they had come to enjoy their time together. However, their relationship did not amount to anything that would result in being boyfriend and girlfriend to one another.

"Are you here for some lunch?" Pocahontas asked curiously.

"We have a very appetizing special today."

"Uh, no." Said Jack.

"We came to see your dad. There's something that we want to show him."

"Oh, he's upstairs right now," Pocahontas said, looking back to the stairway beside where the kitchen was.

'Is he busy at all?" Jack asked curiously.

"Because we really need his help with something."

"I don't think he is at the moment." Said Pocahontas.

"Come on, I'll take you to him."

"Thanks, Poca." Said Jack as he and Tadashi followed her to the back stairway.

(**I hope you enjoyed this chapter, yes I know I'm taking too long on getting back to Elsa. I promise that I'll do another short that takes place between chapter, If anyone would like to make a request of what the short should be about, feel free to share. And as always, please comment and review!)**


	32. Chapter 32

Pocahontas began walking up the several steps that lead up to the front door of the apartment. Jack, Kristoff and Tadashi follow her from behind. As the three friends had caught up with the young native women, she had finally come face to face with the closed door that blocked them from the inside of the apartment. Pocahontas looked down and reached for the round silver doorknob, turning it rightward and pushing it leftward. The four walked into the small apartment that stood above the restaurant below. Pocahontas looked to her right where she saw her aging father sitting in a red woven chair, reading his novel. With over three hundred pages sitting atop the cover of the book, and still over two hundred still left until the end of the story.

"Father." said Pocahontas.

The retired professor looked from his novel and back to see the unexpected but not unwelcomed company.

"Jack Overland." He said just before closing his book and setting it aside.

Powhaton rose from his chair and came around to the three University students. He removed his reading glasses from his eyes and set them down on his chest as they hung over his neck.

"I wasn't expecting any company."

"We're sorry for dropping in on you, Professor Powhatan." Jack said.

"No, no." The elderly native man said, feeling there was no need for any apology.

"There's no need to be sorry, Jack. You all are welcome here anytime you wish."

Jack smirked and slowly nodded his head several time. He appreciated the generosity the native professor was to him and his friends. To which he knew that Powhatan was the right man to ask for help. He was a wise and very caring mentor of his. He was always glade to help him when he needed and not only that; he was a wealth of information when it comes to biology. He may provide any of the answers that they would need to further Adgars work.

"Thank you, professor." said Jack.

The elderly man nodded his head in response.

"We don't mean to take up too much of your time." Tadashi said.

"We need your help with something."

"Oh sure." He said, before turning back to the room.

"Come and have a seat."

"I'll leave you guys to your business." said Pocahontas, knowing that her cousins would need help down in the restaurant.

As she turned and walked out the doorway, the three friends walked into the living room. Jack and Tadashi came up to the couch and sat down upon the soft cushions of the couch. Kristoff walked across to the chair that sat beside the couch, facing toward the TV. Powhaton was the last to come into the room once the tree friends had settled.

"Can I get any of you a drink?" He asked his received guests.

"Uh, no we're fine." said Jack.

"Yeah." said Kristoff in agreement.

"Well alright then." Said Powhatan as he came before his chair and took a seat.

"So what is it that you three need my help with?"

"Well... We were hoping we could get your expertise on this." said Jack as he handed the old professor the folder that held the research of professor Adgar.

"We found this in McCoys office when we were clearing it out."

Powhatan reached out and took the folder from Jack. Once he sat back in his seat, the native professor reach for his reading glasses that lay over his chest and drew them up over his eyes. When opening the folder, the first thing for his eyes to be set upon, was that of the professor's Adgars name.

"Professor Adgar?" He asked looking up to Jack.

Jack nodded his head.

"Yeah." He said.

"You know him, don't you?"

The elder native professor knew that name all too well of the name. Professor Adgar was a well know scientist to the University Through his many years of teaching at the university, Professor Adgar was one of his fellow teachers. Both of them were of the same subject in biology. They both had shared an interest in the earth itself and the many types of plants that grow upon its surface. They had several interactions with one another in the past, sometimes sharing whatever knowledge they had. However they were each of their separate ways. Neither of them had ever partnered with each other for any purpose of researching or experimenting with plants.

"Yes, I've met him before." Powhaton said.

"So you know about what he's been working on?" Tadashi assumed, knowing that he would know of the research he's been committed to.

Powaton nodded his head.

"I do." He said, knowing of what he was referring to.

"He was researching a rare herb from Africa."

A feeling of anticipation came upon the three friends.

"Well believe it or not." Kristoff said.

"It's all right there in that folder."

Powhaton looked down to the many notes that were packed into the light brown folder. He began skimming through the written notes of the herb. The elderly professor gazed curiously, looking as if he was intrigued by what he was reading. An expression that Jack had hoped he would have when he had presented this to Professor Callaghan. After a short while, the native professor closed the folder and removed his glasses from his face. Jack gazed to the professor with an eager expression. He was all too curious as to what thoughts he had of Professor Adgars research.

"Well?" asked Jack.

"His research is quiet interesting." Powhaton said, looking up to the three friends.

"His theories are very thought provoking and he looked to have interesting conclusions of his tests."

"So do you think we can further it?" Kristoff asked curiously.

Powaton looked across the room to Kristoff, looking curiously to the question he asked.

"Further it?" He asked.

Jack shook his head yes.

"Yeah." He said.

"We were looking to continue his work."

The Native professor gazed in complete astonishment to the three friends. The life work of professor Adgar was a very difficult path to go down. It wasn't that he doubted their capabilities to follow through with it; he had faith in all his students and believed that they could accomplish anything that they could set their minds to. But this was not the case. Professor Adgar searched for what seemed to be something out of science fiction. Not only that, the research had clearly stated that the herb only grew from the moist, tropical soil of the African jungle.

For three university students to venture into the deepest of the African jungle just as professor Adgar had done, they wouldn't have a chance. The dangers the journey presented was but so many to be counters. Chances are that they would suffer a swift end by the fangs or claws of either a ion, a tiger or a leopard. That or be bitten by one of the most venomous snakes and suffer a slow, agonizing death. Those were but only a few to be counted.

"Jack." The Native professor said, as he closed the folder.

"I deeply admire you all for taking a task such as this. But I think that perhaps you should think more of what you may be getting into."

"We're fully aware of what we're doing, professor." Jack insisted.

"That's why we wanted to ask if you could help us with this. You're the only one we know that knows more about Biology then we do."

"I am flatted you would look to me for help.' Powhaton said, always glad to be of assistance to Jack.

"But I am confused as to why you don't ask the University for Help. I'm sure that Professor Callghan would be of more help to you then I would."

While it was true, the University was the best option to continue the research. They had all the equipment, the resources and the funding to do so. But that opportunity was ceased by Professor Callaghan, all due to his fear and returning agony of his long passed fellow colleague.

"Well that's part of the reason we're asking you." said Kristoff.

"We asked Professor Callaghan to help us, but he turned us down."

"He was concerned that we would end up just like Professor Adgar." Tadashi said.

The native professor moaned, understanding the concern that Callaghan had for them. This was his friend's long life research and he might have wanted for it to be touched by anyone. However, it wasn't the only reason for it. He was well aware that Professor Adgar took a path that drove him to his disappearance and assumed death.

"I think he should have every right to assume so." Powhaton said as he got up out of his seat and set the folder on the coffee table.

Jack frowned to what Powaton said.

"You don't think we'll end up like Professor Adgar, do you?" Jack asked as he stood up from the couch.

Powaton turned and walked into his kitchen. He came up to the fridge and pulled open one of the two doors. He then reached inside and pulled out a tall can of cool ice tea.

"I'm not saying that, Jack." He said as he closed the fridge.

"But Callaghan does have a good point in all this."

He then turned to the young white haired man.

"With all due respect, Professor Powhaton." Jack said.

"But this is something that the world really needs. I mean, if this herb can do what Adgar Said it can, then we have to at least try and finish it."

Powhaton though from what Jack was saying. He knew this journey wouldn't be an easy one to follow, however at the same time Jack had a point. The research was a fascinating discovery for the world of medicine. He himself had read all the test notes and all the conclusions it lead to. All the subjects that he tested were all healed or relieved of their sickness that they were suffering from. If it was all true, this would be a breakthrough and would help so many people. He gave a brief sigh and nodded his head.

"You speak with some truth, Jack." He said.

"But have you considered what path you all are following?"

Jack shook his head yes. He knew all that he was doing and the barriers in his way were of none of concern to him. If it meant getting his family the life they deserve, he was more than willing to follow through with it.

"I have." said Jack.

"And I want to follow through with this. I have to for my family."

Powhaton turned to the young, white haired man. For the reason Jack had given caught his interest.

"You remember when I told you about what happed to me and Anna?"

"I do remember it." Powhaton said, nodding his head.

"Every time I look at my little brother Jamie and my sister Riley, I can't help but think I can give them everything that I never had. I don't want for them to endure everything that me and Anna did. I want to give them the life they deserve. This herb could be the only chance for me to do it. That's why I want to do this."

The aging native man nodded his head as he pondered Jacks reason. The usual reason would be for the fame and the money. While Jack still looked to that reward, he wanted it for the soul reason of helping his family. That was a reason of nobility, one that Powhaton could respect. Like a warrior of the tribe powhaton had long descended from, he was brave to venture on such a journey.

"That's very noble of you, Jack." he said, setting his hand on his shoulder.

Jacks smiled and nodded his head to him.

"Thank you." Jack said.

Powhaton set his can of ice tea down on the Colbert. He had finally come to a decision to Jacks request. Hearing the reason he had given, he was will to give him the support and help that he needed.

"Alright, I'll help as much as can." Powaton said.

Jack smiled, grateful of his support to them. He knew that he could count on his help with this research.

"Thank you, Powhaton." Jack said.

Powhaton nodded to him as he walked around the Colbert and walked back to the living room. Jack turned and followed behind him. The two came back to the living area of the apartment, where Tadashi and Kristoff were waiting for them Both of them had heard the conversation that they were having and both were relieved and glad that he answered them with a yes to their request.

"Alright." said Kristoff, knowing that they were all agreed on this.

"So we're all in on this. Let's get started."

"So where do we start?" Tadashi asked

"If we are going to further Adgars study," said Powhaton as he sat in his seat.

"We should start by continue studying the herb. We must get a sample of it so we can examine it and confirm Adgars research."

Jack, Kristoff and Tadashi were left silent for a moment, realizing the first road block of their journey. They were so consumed with the excitement of continuing the research, that they didn`t think of the small details to their journey. With this herb being known to grow only in Africa, this meant that if they were going to get a sample to study, then it would mean traveling to one of the most dangerous places in the world.

"Which means..." Kristoff said, knowing what they had to do.

"We have to travel all the way to Africa." Tadashi finished.

Africa was a country of poverty and full of small rebellions. That and the fact they were venturing into the Congo jungle in search of an herb. Not only that, the price to ravel to Africa was a twelve thousand or so. None of them had the money to afford a ticket for a plane ride there.

"Aw, crud." said Kristoff, knowing that it was a big problem.

"We didn't think of this, did we?"

Jack sighed and shook his head.

"No we didn't." Jack said.

Kirstoff moaned and sat back in his seat.

"Guys, relax." said Jack as he got up off the couch and turned to them.

"This isn't anything we can't handle."

Kristoff turned to Jack, looking so stern.

"Jack, do you know how much a trip to Africa will cost?" he asked.

"On top of that, how much it will cost for four people? We can't afford the trip."

Tadashi turned to Jack.

"He's right, Jack." said Tadashi.

"There's no way we can afford a trip for four. It's twelve hundred each. The grand total of that price would be four eight hundreds. Even if we put all our money together we still can`t afford it."

Jack though for a moment of their problem. They were right; they didn't have enough to afford a flight to Africa. All their savings would be drained if they used them. The only solution they had was to probably work some jobs and create a savings account.

"Then I guess all four of us should each get a part time job." Jack suggested.

"We can each pitch in."

Kristoff and Tadashi looked to one another. They knew that this wasn't going to be easy. With the denial of the university, then it meant that they would have to provide the founding. The trouble was trying to find a job. There weren't many places that were hiring.

"Well I'm already working at my Aunts Cafe." Tadashi said.

"Make about forty an hour."

"Well there's a good start." Jack said.

Jack then turned to Powhaton.

"Mr, Powhaton, would you have any openings in your restaurant?" asked Jack.

Kristoff rose from his seat.

"Jack, I don't think this is going to work," said Kristoff, knowing that there was more than that standing in the way.

"We do have classes at the University. We have to pay for our classes as well."

Jack rubbed the back of his head, knowing that Kristoff was right. Their time was very much limited with University and they always had to pay for the classes they needed. With all that, it would be hard to pull this off.

"Jack we have to face it." Kristoff said, knowing that the odds were against them.

"There's no way we can do this."

The young man sighed. He wanted nothing more than to find a way to do this and help his family. But with little funder and time, there wasn't enough options for them. He narrowed his head, as he pondered of what to do.

"I'll think of something." he said.

"But we can't let this stop us."

Powhaton rose from his chair and came up to his past student. He placed his hand on his shoulder as he turned to him. Things were getting hard for and they had come to realize that they weren't prepared for this journey as they thought. The question was, what were they going to do now?

(**I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. This one was very hard one to do and I had to do several rewrites to get it done. If there is any requests or critizisims, feel free to share. And as always, please comment and review!)**


	33. Chapter 33

It was the middle of the afternoon when Jack, Tadashi and Kristoff had left Powaton's restaurant. The four friends cruised through town with what seemed to a complete waste of time. They're desire and their will to further the research of professor Adgar was met with a barrier that seemed too great to overcome. With the knowledge that what they were searching for grew so far in the jungles of Africa, the cost of the trip far exceeded their expenses. With the University's refusal to support them, they were left helpless and confined in a position that left them without any way to continue the study of the herb.

Jack was but silent, speaking not a single sound that resembled any words what so ever. He continued to ponder over the situation and try to find a way around. However this seemed to be a challenge for he knew very well the lack of money and resources was what kept them from achieving their goal. He sat back in the driver's seat and glanced over to the folder that sat atop the dash board. He sighed as he thought of all that it could have done for him and his family. He had high hopes over continuing the professor's work and even helping his parents and his young siblings. But it seemed that he had too high of expectations.

"Hey, are you alright?" Kristoff asked, looking over to him.

"Not really." Jack answered, shaking his head a bit.

"I really thought that this was going to be a chance for us."

Kristoff nodded his head. He too thought the same way as he did over this herb. But now it seemed as if it was too good to be true.

"Yeah." Kristoff said as he faced forward.

"I know what you mean."

"Well guys, we kind of knew this was going to happen." Tadashi added to the conversation.

"I mean this is way out of our league to handle."

While Jack was somewhat opposed to that, e too had to face reality. This was something for a professor at the level of Adgar could handle. He could cover all the expenses and had the resources to conduct the research. They however did not. They lacked all that Adgar had in taking on this task. However he still felt the urge to follow through and obtain whatever it held for his loved ones.

"I guess." Jack admitted.

"But... I don't know..."

"Jack, I think Callahan is right about this." Tadashi suggested.

"Maybe this needs to be buried in the past where it belongs."

As he thought, Jack felt so much grief. He really wanted to make this work somehow, but it seemed as if this was indeed far out of their league. The barrier was too great and dense to be broken and their life here was what needed to be their focus.

"Yeah, you're right." He said.

Just ahead of them was Tadashi's Aunts Cafe. Jack drove through the crossing roads and pulled up at the left sidewalk. As the vehicle halted, Kristoff and Tadashi unbuckled their seatbelts.

"You want to come in and get a coffee or..."

Jack shook his head no.

"I'll pass." He said.

"Don't get yourself stressed over this, Jack." Kristoff advised.

"It's the way it has to be."

"Yeah, I got it." Jack said.

"Alright, see ya tomorrow." Kristoff said as he and Tadashi got out of the jeep and began walking down the side walk.

For a short period of time, Jack sat in his seat motionless. He gazed over to the folder one last time and gave a sigh. He was so unravelled by this fantasy that he couldn't open his eyes to the truth. Maybe this was all just that, a fantasy, a wish that seemed to be out of any way of being reality. This was but a ghost that they were chasing, nothing more. Jack then gazed forward and shift his jeep into drive, pulling away from the sidewalk.

Jack drove to the rink where Riley's hockey tryouts were taking place. After he had found a parking spot for his jeep, He walked into the cold arena from the lobby doors. He approached the boards that surrounded the ice and gazed out to the rink where he saw ten girls dressed in hockey gear, skating along the ice. Each of them wore separate pennies over their jerseys, five of them red while the other half was yellow to distinguish them into separate teams. As the girls played their coach, Kevin, a tall man in his early fifties skated along with them. He was tall with a hockey helmet over top of his head. He wore a black coat along with track pants.

Kevin had been Riley's coach for about three years. It was said that he has a great passion for hockey; Jack knew that to be certain after seeing how well he taught the team how to play. He was always on the, pushing them hard to bring out the potential he knew that they had. It was the same way he did for his older daughter, Megan. Jack turned and gazed rightward to the benches where several of the team member's parents all watched their daughters play. Sitting high at the top was his other Jill along with Jamie.

"Go Riley!" Jamie cheered on.

Jack smirked to his younger brother. He turned and walked up the short stairway before he turned to long second set that lead up to where his brother and mother sat. As he climbed up the steps, it was then that Jamie's head cocked in his direction where he spotted his older brother.

"Jack." He called to him.

The young white haired man came up to same level where his mom and brother sat. He walked over to his Jamie's side.

"Hey, Jamie." He said to his young brother.

Jack leaned across Jamie and kissed his mother upon his cheek before he sat down beside his half brother.

"What did I miss?"

"She magnet to get a couple shots in." Jill said turning back toward the practice.

"Really?" Jack asked turning to his mom.

"Yeah." Jamie insisted.

"You should have seen her, she was skating down the ice and she managed too get the puck past four... No, five other players and then she slapped the puck right into the net."

Jamie imitated his sisters shot, swinging his arms up as if he was holding a hockey stick and swinging it down as if he was making a shot on net. Jack smiled and gave a slight chuckle as he gazed back down upon the Ice. It was then that a whistle was pulled and Kevin went to recover the puck. As Riley skated down the rink, she gazed up to the stands and waved to him and Jamie. Jack waved back to her.

Jack then turned to Jamie, who was gazing toward the rink. He thought for a moment as he knew he hadn't really had much time with his brother recently. He had been so caught up with his work at the university and with some part time jobs. Now seemed like a good time to actually talk to him for there may not be an opportunity other then now.

"So...' Jack said as he shifted his head to Jamie.

"How have things been?"

"Huh?" Jamie asked curiously.

"You know... How are things?" Jack said.

"Like how's school going?"

The young boy only shrugged in response.

"I don't know." Jamie said, having but little idea of what to make of it.

"It's... Easy I guess."

Jack smirked and nodded his head.

"Well that's grade three for you." He said, knowing what it was like for himself.

"But just wait till you get up to University, it gets very hard then."

"Really?" Jamie asked curiously.

Jack nodded his head yes.

"Yeah." Jack said.

"But don't worry about it, you got a long way to go before then. Gives you some time to decide what you want to be."

"But I already know what I want to be." Jamie insisted.

"Really?" Jack said.

"Like what, a fire man or a... Police officer?"

"No." Jamie said shaking his head.

"You, Jack. I want to be just like you."

Hearing that from his brother, Jack smiled and gave a slight chuckle he put his arm around his brother's shoulder and pulled him and closes to him. To him it meant so much for his bother to see him as an idle of his. It gave Jack so much pride and happiness to him despite that it was nothing new for him to know. If there was anyone in the world who Jack treasured most, it was his younger brother and he wanted nothing more but to show him that he was someone worth looking to.

"Yeah." Jack said.

"That's even better."

Jamie chuckled as he put his arm around her older brother. He meant every word to him for he did indeed feel that his brother was the one whom he looked to and wished to be. There was but more to Jack then being half related to him, he was the best of all the friends he had. There was no one in the world whom he would rather have to be his older brother then Jack.

The time was seven O'clock when the practice had ended and they got home for the night. Jack was sitting upstairs in his room, facing to his desk. Down below on the desk top was the folder of Professor Adgar's research. Jack sat and though back to the hockey rink and heard what his brother had said. He gazed down to the folder That sat before him. He took hold of it with both his hands and held it up atop the folded bottom. The more he thought of the problem, the more eager he was to find a way to overcome the barrier before them.

Hearing all that Jamie had said to him today felt as if he was encouraged to no bounds. Knowing well that his young brother and sister all looked to him in such a way, he wanted to give time something to look up to. The barrier may seem impossible to overcome, but all Jack cared of was bringing hope to people while also helping his family.

"I can't." He said to himself.

"There's just... Something about this..."

Jack sat back in his seat has it bended backward. It was true, there was but no will for him to let go of the opportunity. Somehow in some way, the promise of the research presented and the will to give hope and a chance for people to be given a new medicine that could potentially help them be relieved from their sickness they suffered seemed to drive Jack to push on despite the barrier before him. Yet the reason that

"I can't give this up." Jack said, thinking mostly of his family

As he sat thinking to himself, it was then he heard the echoing voices below of Jamie and Riley. They were each bantering on about the tryouts and how Riley had preformed.

Jack turned to his open doorway as he set the folder back down. He rose up from his desk chair and walked out of his room and down the stairs. As he came down to the main floor, he gazed over to the living room where he found Jamie and Riley reacting the hockey practice. They ran around the open space between the TV and the couch, each of them holding small plastic hockey stick and pretending to pass the puck around to each other.

"Jamie comes in to take a shot!" Jamie said as he ran and dribbled the imaginary puck with his stick.

"Riley moves to intercept!" Riley said as she dashed in front Jamie ad pretended to snatch the puck from him.

"She takes the buck and moves it ahead!"

"Hey!" Jamie said as he turned and followed after his sister.

Jill, who was sitting on the couch, watching them play turned to Jack. She smiled at him just as he did back to her. He turned back to Jamie and Riley and watched for another short while of them playing. It was then he came down the res of the way and grabbed a hockey stick that sat up against the couch.

"But Jack comes in and steals the buck!"

The two turned to their eldest brother.

"He monomers the puck as he moves in for his daring shot.'

"I don't think so!" Riley said as she came forward.

Jack quickly moved aside from her.

"He skates down the ice, he's closing in!"

Jamie comes in front and tries to retake the puck from his older brother.

"Nu ah!" Jamie said as reached his stick out.

"Oh, but Jack monomers around him!" Jack said as he swung around Jamie.

"He shoots..."

Jack flung his stick up, shooting the imaginary puck to the net he envisioned was facing him. The puck flew and dug into the nets before it fell to the ice below.

"He Scores!" Jack cheered as he raised his stick above his head.

He then ran forward to his half siblings, scooping them up in his arms. He held them both up and twirled them around in the open space, right then he fell back and landed on the couch. For about a short while, they laid back on the long, comfortable furniture as they continued to laugh along with each other. Jill followed along with them.

"Well, that was quite the game." She commented,

Jack smirked and nodded his head.

"What can I say?" He asked.

"I'm the best at hockey, where do you think she gets it from?"

Riley chuckled and punched his side.

"Hey take it easy." He said, as he released them from his hold.

"I bruise easily you know."

Riley moved back from Jack, settling between him and their mother.

"I've got to say." Jack said.

"You never cease to impress me on the ice. You did fantastic; I won't be surprised that you make the team."

The young blond haired girl smiled.

"Thanks, Jack" She said.

"You promise that you'll come to every game?"

Jack shook his head yes.

"There's no way on earth that I'd miss any of them."

"Hey guys!" Jamie called.

Jack turned to his younger brother. He was standing in front of the window, gazing out the front yard where the evening was turning into night.

"A long white car pulled up in front of our house."

The young white haired man turned to his mother, who looked as curious as him. She knew nothing of what it could be. They weren't expecting any company tonight. Jack turned and rose up from where he was sitting. He came up to the window and gazed out to the front yard to see a long white limo parked at the side walk. He saw the driver walk up to the door at the very back of the vehicle. He opened the door and it was then he saw a man with brown hair and side burns, dressed in a white tuxedo step out of the limo and approach the house.

( I **hope you enjoyed this chapter, I know it seems I'm taking too long with getting back into the jungle, I am planning on wrapping this act in civilization soon with the next few chapters. Anyway, let me know you thoughts and please comment and review!)**


	34. Chapter 34

Jill got up from the couch and walked up to her two sons who stood before the window. She was mixed with the desire to know of who was visiting on this night, while also a bit of concern. There wasn't anything impotent going on, at least none that would bring them an unexpected visitor.

"Who is it?" She asked him curiously.

Jack turned from facing the window and faced his mother.

"I don't know." He answered, confused as his mother.

Jill turned to the window and gazed outside. She saw the strange young man, dressed in a white tuxedo walking up the stone walk way to the house. She turned to Jack, curious of the man's presence.

"You weren't expecting anyone tonight?" She asked curiously.

Jack shook his head no. He didn't count for anyone to come over. If he had, the only two people he would expect would be Tadashi. There wasn't anyone else in mind that Jack could think of.

"No." He said, shaking his head.

"I'm not expecting anyone tonight."

As Jack turned back to the window he saw that the man outside was no longer in sight of them. It was then they heard the sound of footsteps upon the wood of the front porch outside. To follow afterwards was the ringing of the door bell.

"Can somebody get that?" Anna called from upstairs.

"I'll be down in a second!"

Jack turned to his mother just as she did to him. The answer to their question just had been given and not a very surprising one at that. At least not for Jack anyway. He sighed and rolled his eyes. 

"Of course." He said as he walked around to the front door.

Jack opened the door and pulled it open to reveal the stranger. The man was looking down to his sleeve color, trying to adjust it properly. He gazed back up to the doorway to see Jack standing there in the opened doorway.

"Oh." he said, seeing Jack.

"Hello."

"Uh... Hi." Jack said as he opened the door the rest of the way.

"Can I help you?"

"Yes, actually." The man said.

"Is Anna here?"

"Uh.. yes she is." Jack said.

"Is that Hans?" Anna called down the stairs.

"Are you by any chance..."

Hans nodded his head.

"Yeah, it's him!" Jack called back, turning his head back.

"Okay, I'll be down soon!" Anna announced.

Jack exhaled his breath as she shook her head no. Another time that Anna was going out with a guy. The only thankful factor to come out of this was the fact it was on a weekend.

He looked back to Hans.

"It's Hans Fertrome." He said giving out his hand to Jack.

The young white haired man took hold and shook it.

"Jack Anderson." He said.

"It's nice to meet you, Jack." Hans said.

It was then that Jack took his hand back, breaking the greeting they were having.

"So..." Jack said, trying to think of what to say.

He gazed past Hans to the white limo that was parked in front of the house. Something new to come from him was he was picking up his sister in luxury. The last few that Anna had ever gone out with had either a car or any other random vehicle. But never something likes a limo.

"That quite the ride." He complemented as he turned back to Hans.

"I haven't seen any man who picks up my sister in a limo."

Hans Smirked and gave a shrug in response to Jack.

"Well, when your family's as wealthy as mine you tend to given some opportunities like this." He said.

"Really?" Jack said as he placed his hands on his hips.

"Yeah." Hans said.

"It's a family owned business that handles things like science and new inventions in technology."

By that discretion, Jack's main thought was that of company, Southern Isles industries. They were the main company that was now the basic backbone of the United States when it came to Science and experiments. There wasn't any other company that dealt in that field with the exception of Cray Tech.

"Like Southern Isles Industries?" Jack asked curiously.

The brown haired man shook his head yes to Jack's answer.

"That would be the one."

"I hear they quite the company." Jack said.

"I've heard they are making some breakthroughs in some of their experiments and research."

"Indeed we are." Hans said.

"Our scientists have been experimenting in the field of quantum bio-engineering. We've discovered many remarkable theories and results."

Jack nodded his head in response. It was all quite a fascinating thing to hear about the few breakthroughs in science that they have done and all. However, there wasn't much interest on Jack's part. He didn't have much to do with. That field of science, nor did he have any understanding of it. There really wasn't any reason for them to go deeper into the conversation.

"Well I'm not really much of a science guy." Jack said shrugging.

"I mean I once was but... Kind of gone on to other things and stuff so..."

Hans shook his head as he thought about what Jack said.

"What field were you in?" Hans asked curiously.

"Hey, I'm here! Anna called from behind.

Jack turned back to the stairway where he saw his younger sister walking down the stairs, her hair was made into a French bun and she was wearing a green dress. Hans could only marvel at her present beauty for no words could be found to describe how he thought at the moment.

"Wow." Hans said.

"You look very... splendid."

The young brown haired girl blushed at his comment, her young face turning red.

"Thank you." She said, chuckling.

As Anna walked down the rest of the steps, it was then that Jill walked in from the living room.

"Alright now." Jill said as she came up to Anna's side.

"Go on and have fun."

She walked Anna to the door where her date awaited for her. She then turned to Anna before she departed for her night with Hans.

"Just make sure your back by eleven." Jill said.

Anna shook her head.

"I will, mom." She said.

Jill smiled and kissed her eldest daughter on her cheek.

"Be safe, Okay."

"Don't worry, miss." Hans said as they turned to him.

"I'll have her back by then."

Jill nodded her head to him. She appreciated the promise that he had made to her. Her one hope was that he would full fill it.

"Thank you." Jill said.

Hans then turned to Anna.

"Shall we be off?" He asked, putting his arm out to her.

"Yeah." She answered as she took hold of him.

As they walked out the door, Anna turned and waved goodbye to her mother and older brother.

"Bye mom." She called to her.

"Bye sweetie." Jill waved back just before closing the door.

After the door was shut, Jack turned away walked back into the living room. He placed his hands behind his head as walked till he was back in front of the window. He watched as Anna walked with Hans toward the white limo that was waiting for them. The driver reached out and pulled open the door for them. Anna was the first to climb in and Hans followed soon after. The driver closed the door and made his way back up to the front of the vehicle.

Jack sighed as he dropped his hands down to his side. This was a man that Anna had just met, he knew that for sure. All the more reason he was so concerned for her. While it seemed that perhaps he could be a manor his word, Jack was still so hesitant about him. He knew nothing of this guy, he was still considered as a stranger in his eyes. The last thing that he wanted was for Anna to be hurt in anyway shape or form.

As he watched, it was then he felt the hand of women upon his shoulder. Jack turned to see his mother was standing beside him. She knew that he was so concerned for his sisters well fair and she understood that. There weren't any objections going against that Anna was on a date with a stranger.

"I hope she'll be okay." Jack said as he turned back and gazed outside.

"I do too." She agreed.

"But don't worry about her. I'm sure she'll be okay."

The limo began pulling out and drove down the street leftward from Jack's view till it was out of sight.

It was deeper into the night and the date was taking its toll. Hans had brought Anna to one of the fanciest restaurants in town. It was a wide open room with a floor right above. The place was packed with many of its tables occupied by other people there. There was the sound of violin music playing in the centre of the whole room. The two sat near a window that looked out toward the Golden Gate Bridge.

"Wow." Anna said as she looked all around the room.

"This is so nice. I mean... I've never been to these kinds of places before."

"It's my pleasure." He said.

"I figured why not take the prettiest girl I've even seen to one of the best restaurants in the city.

Anna blushed before averting her eyes from him.

"So..." Hans said as he set his glass of wine down on the table.

"You have quite the family I must say."

"Thank you." Anna said.

"is it just you, your brother and mother?" Hans asked.

"Oh no." Anna said.

"I also have another brother and a younger sister. Well, actually a half brother and half sister."

"Half?" Hans asked.

The young women shook her head yes.

"Yeah." She said.

"My mom got remarried and stuff... Our family was going through some stuff at the time."

"Well I have to say that you're lucky." Hans said.

"You could have at least twelve other brothers to live with."

Anna gazed at Hans in utter surprise.

"Twelve brothers?" Anna asked.

Hans nodded his head. Family life for him was as hard as could be expected. He grew up in a family of fifteen and was the youngest out of all of them. He had gone through what was to be expected by having older siblings. Be teased and ignored so much. Have very much less attention by anyone, even his parents for that matter.

"Yeah." He said.

"What's its like living with that many?" Anna asked curiously.

"Hard." Hans said.

"As in try and put up with getting ignored for two years."

"That's terrible." Anna said.

"Well that's what brothers do."

"My brother never did that to me." Anna said, knowing Jack was always a fun loving brother and would never shut her out for two years.

"Really?" Hans asked.

"Defiantly." Anna said, knowing it was true,

"Jacks always had been the best brother in the world. He's always cared about me and our family."

Hans smirked to her as he gave a slight chuckle, a form of luck on her case. Her brother did seem to be a more generous and caring then the brothers he had, at least about a few of them anyway.

"He sounds like a very nice brother to have." Hans complement.

"He is." Anna insisted.

"He's the best brother anyone could have."

However what followed from Anna was a frown and eyes that gazed downward to the table. With all the love and loyalty she had for her older brother, there was also concern and grief for him. She knew that Jack went through so much in the past and was given a few scars, one of them being the separation of their family years ago. He was too depressed and unsettled by it and even now he still is haunted by the past he endured. Hans's smile slowly faded as he saw her expression upon her face.

"What?" Hans said, noticing how she looked.

"What's wrong?"

Anna gave a small sigh of grief before looking back up at Hans.

"It's kind of complicated." She said, thinking of Jack.

"Have you... Ever been so concerned for someone, like so very much?"

Hans shook his head.

"I can't say that I have." He answered, having no times in his like it.

"Why?"

Anna sat back in her chair and held on to her shoulders. She thought back to the past that her family had faced long ago, when their family was in a major feud which resulted in their separation. She remembered what it was like for Jack. When they suffered through nights of yelling and arguing from their parents and when they separated from their father and moved to San-Francisco. It was a hard obstacle for him to overcome and he was ever so torn by it.

"Well..." Anna began.

"My family's been through allot and... Jack out of all of us took the most amounts of hits."

Hans leaned up in his seat as he listened to Anna.

"Our parents were arguing so much and then one day our dad slapped Jack across the face. After that they got a divorce and we moved here to San-Francisco."

Hans was but motionless with shock as he heard all that he did. In a way, he could relate to Jack and the things he gone through. He often was hit and abused verbally by his brothers when younger.

"He never really did recover from it." Anna said.

"I just... I..."

"You want him to be happy?" Hans said.

That answer made Anna nod her head. That's all she wanted for Jack, to be happy and joyful when he was younger. She knew that there was still some left in him. Of course she knew that he was happy with Jamie and Riley. But somehow, she wanted more for her brother.

"Yeah." Anna said as she looked back up to Jack.

"That's really all I want for him. He's been through so much and well, I want for him to maybe find someone."

If you remembered back to the conversation earlier in the day, the one that resolved around Jack and getting a girlfriend, Anna was in secret wanting for Jack to find one. She wanted him to be happy and start a life of his own.

"Now a day, he so wrapped up in University and in this research by a professor named Adgar."

By mention of that name, Hans gazed in curiousness and deep interest.

"Adgar?" He said.

Anna looked up to him.

'Yeah, you know him?" Anna asked.

Hans nodded his head. The name was all too familiar to him as he was at a time the classmate and Partner of his father.

"Yeah." He said.

"He and his father were once partners with each other. They were classmates, practically in the same class since University. I heard he was researching this herb right before he disappeared."

"Well me and Jack found that research." Anna said.

"We were hoping that the University would help further it but... They just turned us down on it."

Hans looked in confusion at that statement. He was curious as to why they would turn down such an opportunity such as that. It was a practical gift just handed to them. But instead they chose to just deny it?

"Well that seems like a very odd thing to do." Hans said.

Anna shocks her head in agreement.

"Yeah." She said.

"Jack and I were really hoping to finish it but... It seems like we need a miracle in order for that to happen."

Hans pondered over what he was told. With research as valuable and promising as Adgars, it seemed to be a pursuit that was worth the effort to follow. He knew little of the plant itself but from all that he heard from his father, it seemed to be like a new medicine or some form similar to it. The Universities ignorance seemed as confusing as it should be. But it may serve to be a valuable opportunity for his family company. Since it was that two people look to somehow further this research, then it seems only fitting that he would asset to that end.

(**I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I promise that we have only a short few more to go before we're back in the jungle again. Also a bit of news, I am planning on doing another sort story afterwords involving Bagheera which will happen when I'm done with thes last few chapters. So I look foward till the, for. Now please comment and review!)**


	35. Chapter 35

It was later back in the night; Jack was walking up the stairs to his room on the floor above. As he walked down the hall, he turned and walked through the open door of the wash room. He flicked on the light and turned to face the mirror. He reached across the kitchen sink and pulled out his tooth brush. Just as he was about to place tooth paste upon the white bristles, he then head laughter come from the room just across the hall.

Jack turned his head and gazed toward Jamie's room. He saw Jamie sitting in bed as Jill tucked him under his covers. Jack walked up and leaned up against the door frame. Jamie lied back down in his bed just as Jill kissed his forehead.

"Hey mom." He said.

"Hmm?" She responded.

"Do you think I can be just like Jack?" Jamie asked, thinking of all the wander and thrill it was to have him in the family.

His mother simply smiled in response. It really was a question that was all too thrilling for the women. To have two Jack's in the family would truly be something.

"Have two Jack's in the family." She said as she imagined it in her head.

"I don't know, ones probably enough."

Jack smirked and chuckled. He hung his head down before he raised it back up to stare once more to his young brother.

"But I really want to." Jamie insisted.

"I want to be a big brother just like him."

Jill chuckled in response as she rubbed her hand through his brown head.

"You be whatever you want, Jamie." She said.

"When you grow up, you're going to do big things. Just like Jack."

Just by watching, the young white haired man smiled as he felt so touched by the moment. It made him think back to when he was the same age as him, when he was tucked in to bed for the night. She gently leaned down and kissed him upon the cheek. She had always told that same thing to him. She always encouraged him to do what his heart truly desired and he can do what seem impossible. He always remembered those words. It was a moral that he always took to heart.

"Go night, Jamie." She said.

"Good night, Mom." He said in return.

Jill turned and walked outside of the boy's room. She first turned back to her young son, returning a smile to him.

"Sweet dreams." She said just as she closed the door.

Jill turned to see Jack standing at the bathroom door. He smiled and nodded his head at her as he heard all that she had said. The one to take into account was that of doing big things. He knew that was true, for he had already made such an impact on his brother and sister. A trait he knew was in mom's side of the family.

"I've already seen that I've made one big accomplishment." Jack said referring to Jamie.

Jill smiled and shook her head in agreement to her.

"He thinks your his Hero."

The young man gave but laughed as he took pride in knowing that.

"I know." He said just before he turned walked back in the washroom.

After he had finished brushing his teeth, Jack walked into his room and closed the door behind him. For a moment he stood facing the flat white painted door as he ponder continuously over his mother's words. He wanted nothing more then to accomplish things that were of a challenge to him. He wanted to make her proud and be the brother Jamie deserved. Jack then looked over to his desk at the folder that stilled laid there upon it's flat surface.

He turned and walked up to the desk as he gazed down to the professor's research.

"You've made quite a discovery, Professor." Jack said as he opened the folder and rummaged through the research.

"Why did you have to disappear when the world needed this?"

Jack finally stooped when he gave to the halfway point of the folder.

"You could have saved so many lives." He said.

The young man turned back to his bed. He reached down and pulled his shirt off and threw it at the end. After of which he walked up and laid down on his bed, settling himself. For a time he gazed up at the ceiling above, pondering and asking him seek of what he was going to do. Could there truly be a way to somehow get passed this whole thing? Could he finish what Adgar had started long ago? The more he thought, the more he faded from his consciousness till finally he fell asleep.

There came a sudden ringing sound which snapped Jack awake. He leaned up off his bed, rubbing the back of his neck. He took a gaze outside to see it was early in the morning. He gazed back at his alarm clock to see it was currently a quarter past six. Just in front of it, he saw his phone ringing with what looked to be an unfamiliar phone number on the screen. Jack reached out an pressed the answer button as he put it to his ear.

"Hello?" He said in a groaning pitch.

"Hello, is this Jack?" A voice said that barred some form of recognition.

"Yes." Jack answered while a bit suspicious.

"Who is it?"

"It's Hans." The voice answered.

"Hans Fertrome."

"Hans?" Jack said as he turns himself around and sat on the edge of his bed.

"Yeah, I hope I'm not disturbing you now."

"From other then a peaceful sleep I was having, no." Jack said.

"What is it I can help you with?"

"Yes actually." Hans said.

"I wanted to ask you about Professor Adgars research."

By the very mention of the Adgars research, Jack was but still for a second out of his surprise and a bit of shock.

"H-how do you know about..."

"Just listen." Hans instructed.

"It's come to my attention that your looking to complete it am I right?"

"Uh... Yeah." Jack answered.

"Well look." Hans said.

"I understand your having a financial trouble with it. So I'm willing to give you a hand with that. If you stop by my office, we can discuss more of it."

Jack took a moment thought of Hans offer. He really thought that maybe he was just dreaming or something but it did sound as if there was an answer to his problem. Since Hans worked for a rich cooperation, it would make sense to at least take him up on his offer. He could pay for everything that they needed for the trip and also had some professional scientists who could conduct the research.

"Alright, fine." Jack answered.

"A very wise choice, Jack." Hans said, sounding please by his answer.

"I'll send a car around to your house. Be sure to bring the research with you."

"Okay." Jack answered.

"Got it."

"Right then." Hans said.

"I'll see you in an hour."

It was then Hans hung up and Jack took his phone from his ear and pressed the end call button. Jack set his phone down in front of his alarm clock as he turned forward toward his desk. He was completely shocked as to what had happened. It felt as if a solution had just fallen right in his lap. But the thing that made Jack's suspicion was how he was aware that he had the old research of Adgar.

Yet at the same time, he felt a rush of relief and also exotic. Finally there was an opportunity to follow along in the promise he and his sister and friends had made. With Hans offering to support them with this, the financial problem that held them back was no longer a concern to them. He would be able to simply sweep it off the table as if it was buying an apple from the grocery store. Another factor that he provided was that he had access to the best equipment and the top scientists. Further research on the herb would seem easier when recovering more things about the plant.

Jack got off of his bed and walked over to his closet. He pushed the door aside to see several plaid or dress shirts and pants hanging from coat hangers. He reached in and pulled out a silk white button shirt along with black dress pants.

A while later Jack walked outside the front door of his household with the folder of Adgars research in hand. As he turned to close the door, he placed the folder under his arm and reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out his keys. After he shut the door, he slid his key in and turned it counter clockwise, locking the door. He looked ahead to the street where he saw a black pull up in front of his house. Jack began making his way down the walk way of his house. The driver during of which got of the car faced toward him.

"Mr. Anderson I presume?" He asked the young white haired man.

"Uh, yeah." Jack said.

"I trust Hans is expecting me."

"Yes, he is." The driver said shaking his head.

He turned and pulled open the back door of his driver's seat.

"Thank you." Jack said as he came up and climbed into the car.

The driver shut the door behind him. After Jack had fastened his seat belt and settled into his seat, he set the folder down on he lap as he looked forward. The Driver had already gotten back into his seat ad slid his seat belt across his body. He then shifter end the car back into drive and pulled out into the street.

It was about a long while of driving when they had entered into the city. Jack sat in his seat, gazing out the window at all the people they passed by and slowly witnessed a sight of a neighborhood of houses turn to large tall standing skyscrapers over ten stories high. By now they were coming before the entrance of one of the tall structures, that being the main office building of Southern isles industries. The car pulled up in a drive way just outside the street they were currently on. He pulled up next to the walkway to which Jack unbuckled his seat belt and opened the door, steeping out from the vehicle. The young man gazed up at the tall sky scraper. It looked to be over twenty stories high, perhaps even higher. By the appearance of the outside it looked to be an all glass window building. Just at the very top, he saw the initials of the company high above.

As Jack shifted his sights down to the entrance, He could see many investors and business men walking in or out of the building. Jack began walking up toward the main doorway. He climbed up the small stair case and walked before the glass doorway where he pulled open the door and walked inside. He entered into a wide open lobby with everlasting front desks and countless people wearing business suits making their way around. He approached one of the front desks where a women in her mid thirties with blond hair and wearing a light blue uniform at behind the desk, facing a flat computer screen.

"Excuse me?" Jack said.

The young women looked up from her computer to the young man.

"Hello sir." She said.

"Can I help you?"

"Yes, I'm Jack Anderson." Jack answered.

"I was wondering if you can direct me to Hans Fotrome."

"Just a second please." She said as she turned to the phone just beside her.

She pressed upon the fifty key as she place the phone to her ear. It was but a short while that she remained in utter silence as she waited for the call to be answered. Jack stood and waited patiently before finally she spoke up.

"Mr. Fortrume." She said.

"There's someone here in the lobby who wishes to see you. He said his name is Jack Anderson."

"Send him up, please." Hans said.

"Right away." The women said just before hanging up the phone.

She stood up from her chair and faced Jack.

"Right this way, sir." She said before she walked out from behind the desk.

Jack trailed behind the women and followed her to the elevators in the back.

The elevator pulled them up passed several floors till they came to the fifty third. The doors parted from each other, opening it up to a hallway with a two door office right at the end. The S, I, I employee was the first to step off the squared elevator room and walked over to the office. Jack followed after her, he gazed to the few offices to his right while at his left was an board room with several business men and women at a meeting. As Jack turned forward, the women opened the office door for them and walked in.

"Mr. Fortrume?" She said.

Jack walked into the office to find Hans faced toward the window overlooking the city. He turned around and came faced with the young white haired man.

"Jack." He said as he walked from the window.

"Just the man I wanted to see."

Hans turned to the Employee to his right.

"Thank you, Miss Miller." He said nodding his head.

She smiled and nodded before turned and walking out of Hans's office.

"Come in, Jack." Hans said.

"Have a seat. We have allot to talk about."

Jack walked further in and came before one of the seats that faced his desk, sitting down in upon it.

"Quite the office you got here." Jack completed.

Hans took a seat behind his desk.

"Thank you." He said nodding his head.

"Did you bring the folder?"

Jack tossed the folder on the desk before Hans. He took the folder and opened it. Browsing through all the recorded data of experiments, the young CEO raised his eye brow fascinated by what he read. Words alone by the people who've seen it was not enough justification to what this research described.

"God this is... This is...remarkable." Hans complemented.

Jack shook his head in agreement.

"How did you get a hold of this?" Hans asked as he set down the folder.

"Found it in the office of one of Professor McCoy's." Jack answered.

"McCoy's?" Hans said.

"Yeah." Jack answered.

"It seemed that he was holding on to it for a friend. But I guess he never got the chance to finish it for Adgar."

Hans pondered for a second about the missed chance of McCoy. While it did seem such a shame and loss it did present an opportunity for them. Now they could complete the professor's work and bring home a cure to these people of America.

"Well I understand that you want to finish it as well." Hans said.

Jack gazed up at Hans. The question of how he knew about this was still fresh on his mind.

"Anna told me everything." The young CEO said.

"She said that you and a few friends were looking to finish this."

"Well, we were hoping." Jack said.

"But it doesn't look like we can financially. Which I assume is what you can probably help us with."

Hans chuckled.

"Well not only with the plane ride there." Hans said.

"I take it none of you are scientists."

The young white haired man shook his head.

"Yeah." He said.

"Well what do you say if me and you together on this?" Hans suggested.

"What do you mean?" Jack asked curiously.

"I can provide all that you need, Jack." Hans said as he set back in his seat.

"I have access to several facilities all over the country and some of top scientists. We can pull off further research and quite possibly create a medicine from it. We'll pull off what Professor Adgar wanted to do."

Jack sat for a moment and pondered over the choice. This was the chance that he had long waited for. By mention of these several things, Jack shock his head in anticipation. It all seemed to be a miracle indeed. Now he can truly possible to fulfill the promise that he and his friends wanted to do.

"Well that sounds great." Jack said smiling.

"But I have some terms."

"Of course." Hans said.

"What are your terms?"

"I want my friends and my sister to help work on this." Jack stated.

"We were in on this together and I want them apart of this too."

"Alright then." Hans said.

"Done."

The white haired man nodded his head.

"Thank you." Jack said.

Hans nodded his head to the young man. He gazed down at the folder of research. It was all plentable and was very informative of the subject; they need to find more about it. However the only way to do so is to find an herb and further reach it and its capabilities.

"All we need now is a sample of that herb." Hans said as he looked up to Jack.

"There's only one place we got to go to in order to get it."

Jack knew exactly where he was referring to go.

"Which means we have to go on a little trip to Africa."

(I **hope you enjoyed this chapter. We're are about two or three chapters away to getting back to the jungle so a bit of news for you guys. I am hoping to get to it soon. If you have any comments or reviews to share, feel free to share.)**


	36. Chapter 36

The day was at its mid point in time. Jack and Hans were both left his office and gone three floors below to a lounging room below. The white haired young man sat in a black leather couch, his left arm resting on the arm rest, his hand tapping down upon its surface. Just in front of him was the folder of Adgars research which laid atop the surface of a long, smooth, black coffee table. Hans stood near the window that overlooked downtown of San-Francisco and beyond. He gestured back and forth, both his hands kept behind his back and his head turned leftward, gazing to the city hours that had passed by slowly grew in numbers as the two waited patiently for the arrival of Jack's younger sister and his two friends.

After the two had discussed terms with this furthering of Professor Adgar's research, Hans had called down to his assistant Miss Miller and told her to send out one of their drivers to pick up Jack's sister, Anna as well as Kristoff and Tadashi. It was ahead of time that Jack gave a cell phone call to Anna, Kristoff and Tadashi and told them about their changing luck. However as expected they had very little belief as to what he said, though they did agree to wait at his house to get picked up. He could only guess that once they see that limo pull up they might start seeing what he said.

Jack laid back into the couch, giving out a brief sigh. He pulled out his phone from his pocket and pressed the buttons at the bottom of the screen. The lock screen appeared showing a picture of him and Jamie. At the very top of the screen, the time was currently one twelve thirty and it had already been an hour or so since he had called Anna and the others.

"They should have been here by now." he said as he turned off his phone and placed it back into his pocket.

"They might have gotten caught in traffic." Hans theorised.

"Hopefully they won't be any longer."

"Let's hope." Jack said.

Jack got up off the couch and walked up over to the window. He gazed outward, catching sight of a magnificent view of the entire city and the golden gate bridge built over sea below.

"Well I got to say." Jack said turning to Hans.

"It's quite the view."

Hans smirked and nodded his head in agreement. His family's company has one of the tallest buildings here in San- Francisco. Built right in the very heart of the city, its very height itself surpasses that of the Transamerica pyramid.

"Well I'm glad you think so." Hans said.

"Of course it's something that should be expected. After all, it is the tallest building in all of San-Francisco."

"It must have cost your father a fortune." Jack said.

"In a way." Hans said, knowing very well the price far exceeded what Jack was thinking.

"But money isn't any concern to my Family, Jack. S.I.I is now what runs this entire city and the entire country for that matter. We are the ones that are going to give The United States a grand future."

The motives of Hans's company seem very familiar to his. He indeed wanted a bright future for the country which is what this cure would help present. To think that the United States itself had a cure that could embolism cancer or other known deceases in the world. Not only that but help people who are injured and help resolve and rehabilitate back to normal. However it was just the country that was such a driving force to him. He wanted to help his family most of all out of this whole ordeal.

"This research you brought with you will definitely be the tipping point. The who world will pay a fortune to have this new Medicine. That's more than enough for all of us."

Jack gave a sly smirk to Hans. He of course could see the chances of that having a high one at that. To think it could be more than enough for his own family. After the long affair that took place so long ago, it would be a nice jester for them to give them a life worth having.

"I'm defiantly counting on it." Jack said.

"Making a fortune like that I can help give my family a life they deserve. Give something back to them. Maybe even donate to the University."

Hans nodded his head as he listen to Jack's intentions. For the most part thy did sound worth while, something a man would give up to accomplish.

"Well I must say you do have high hopes for this, Jack." Hans said.

"Anyone else who had this opportunity would just as well have the money for themselves."

"If I did what would I do with it all?" Jack said.

"Can only do so much. Besides my family is the one I want to look out for more then anything."

"Perhaps fate might have found someone perfect for the job." Hans said.

The two then heard the doors in the far back of the room open. The two looked back to see Miss Miller walking in. Following behind her was Anna, Kristoff and Tadashi.

"Mr. Fortrome, your quests have arrived." She said.

Anna, Kristoff and Tadashi walked into the room and gazed all around. The mindsets of both Tadashi and Kristoff at the most were of complete astonishment that it was true of what Jack had told them. It really was true that someone did indeed wish to help them out with their journey to further Adgar's work. By the looks of the building itself and the fact that he had them all picked up by his own personal driver'The might well indeed be more than a big help.

"Nice of you three to join us." Jack said as he began walking forward to his sister and his two friends.

"What took you so long?

"We hit oncoming traffic." Kristoff said.

"It took two hours for thing to get moving again."

Jack looked back at Hans with a smirk on his face. To think that his theory was indeed correct was the actual correct answer for the reason of them being so late.

"Well I'm glad to see you guys were able to come." Hans said as he approached them.

The young fortrume looked over to his assistant who still stood by the door.

"That will be all, Miss Miller." He said.

She nodded her head and walked back out into the hallway, closing the door behind her. After of which he turned back to his three new guests.

"You must be Kristoff and Tadashi." He said, assuming they were who he thought they were.

"Uh, yeah." Kristoff said.

"Hans fortrume." He said, extending his hand to them.

Kristoff took his hand and shook it. After of which Hans extended his hand to Tadashi and shook his. Afterwards, Kristoff turned his attention to Anna.

"Anna, it's especially a greeting for you to come." He said to her.

The young browned haired girl blushed at his complement; her cheeks turned a bright red.

"Aw, thank you, Hans." She said in appreciation to him.

By the sight alone, Kristoff stained to the two curiously. Seeing Anna blush to the guy was already weird enough for him to see, but the fact that they had called each other by their first name was all the more strange to see.

"Now that we are all here, I believe we should discuss our trip to Africa."

Tadashi and Kristoff gazed to each other curiously. They then shifted their look over to Jack who nodded his head to them, conforming what they might be thinking. Anna began walking toward the lounging area of the room, Kristoff came up to her side.

"You know that guy?" He whispered to her.

Anna shook his head to him. The three walked up to the couches and the two seats to its side. Anna came and took a seat in the light brown chair to the left while Kristoff and Tadashi sat upon the black leather couch.

"So it's come to my attention that you three are trying to further this research of an old professor." Hans said.

"Well we were hoping to." Kristoff said.

"The finances that come with it aren't exactly cooperative with us." Tadashi said.

Hans smirked and nodded his head.

"Jack told me the whole ordeal with you four." Hans explained.

"You all want to help bring this new medicine the world of science but you need some help in order to do it."

Kristoff looked to him sternly. They had already known that from the very start and it was very obvious of course.

"So what's your point?" He asked.

"I wish to help you three try and finish this." Hans said.

"I can provide you all with everything you need. S.I.I has all the top minds in the world and can easily help further Professor Adgars work."

The three gazed to one another, all with the same mind of astonishment the same as Jack had when he first heard. It would seem that it was true and a miracle had did indeed happen.

"That's great, Hans." Anna said.

"We would really appreciate the help."

Hans bowed his head to the young women. It was a pleasure for him to be of assistance to them in their time of need, Even with a great scientific discovery that could change the world for the better.

"Well that's great and all." Tadashi admitted.

"But how are we going to do this? I mean where in Africa do we even look for this herb?"

"Didn't Professor Callaghan say that Adgar visited the Congo?" Anna asked remembering the conversation they had with him yesterday.

"Well from what I read of Adgars research yesterday night." Jack said, walking a few steps from the window.

Jack came up to the black coffee table where he had set the folder down. He set down the bottle of water and picked up the light brown folder, opening it to the many written pages inside.

"He had some journal entries of his research. Not enough of them but he did mention where he was going in Africa to research it."

"Where did he say he went?" Kristoff asked.

"Well from what I read one of the locations he mentioned was in the Congo." Jack pointed out.

The young man searched through the research for a short while, trying to find the journal entrée. It took but a short while before he finally came across in the far back.

"Here it is." He said as he pulled out the piece of paper.

Jack closed the folder and set it back down on the coffee table. He held the journal entree before him and began to speak out the written words.

"This was one of his entries." Jack said, gazing to the tope written words.

"Journal entire fifty eight, Liebo, Congo."

"So that's where he was going." Kristoff said.

Jack shrugged and nodded his head.

"Yeah." He said.

"At least that's what he was saying in two of the entries in the folder. He said that herb mostly required "the rich nutrients of the jungle soil there."

"Well that's great." Hans said smiling.

"So we know where to look."

"Well not exactly." Jack said, knowing there was another problem when it came to finding the herb.

"Reading the two entries in the folder, apparently Adgar had some problems when trying to find it."

"What kind of troubles?" Hans asked curiously.

"Well apparently he spends next to a year in the Congo trying to find it." Jack explained

Kristoff looked to Tadashi who in turned looked to him. It would seem that the problems they were having seemed to skyrocket to even greater difficulties. Paying for a plane ride there was hard enough, but now it seemed as if they might spend God knows how long trying to find this herb. A time that none of them wished to stay for.

"Oh great." Kristoff said sarcastically.

"So not only are we exploring through the Congo trying to find a medicine plant, but now it looks like we might spend an entire year there."

"Well that was just one of his trips." Jack pointed out.

"He also said that a few other times he went he spent a month or two there."

"That doesn't exactly help our odds, Jack." Kristoff said.

"If it took Adgar that long each time he went what will be so different with us?"

"Well for one thing Adgar searched alone with only a few men escorting him." Jack pointed out.

"We on the other hand are a group of five. That means we can easily fan out into two groups to cover more ground."

Tadashi looked to Jack in disbelief. While it seemed like the most plausible choice the one thing to keep in mind was that this was the jungles of the Congo. It would be full of predators and other dangerous animals as well. God know what would happen out there.

"Jack, your forgetting that this isn't just a stroll through the mall or something." He said.

"This is the jungles of the Congo we're talking about."

"Yeah." Kristoff said.

"We wouldn't last a minute out there."

It was then Hans stepped into the conversation.

"I think I can help you with that." He said.

Kristoff turned to Hans.

"What do you mean?" He asked.

"S.I.I does have many contacts." Hans explained.

"Some of which are our own personal trained men. I can hire some experts on jungle terrain to help us."

"You mean hire guns?" Kristoff said.

"Think of it as personal escorts." Hans said.

Even with that being the case of protection, there was still another factor to cover. That being someone to help guide them through the jungle terrain and defend against any predatory animal who would attack.

"Well that's great and all." Kristoff said.

"But how exactly are we going to find our way around. We are going to need guides who know the layout of the area we're looking in."

It was then that an idea popped right into Anna's head. Jack had said early on that Adgar searched closer to Liebo. That was where Uncle North and Aunt Tooth were. They knew the entire layout of the jungle having to have been there for teen years now. They knew that land like the back of their heads. Perhaps they could help guide them through the jungle. After all, it would be a great opportunity to see them again. It had been so many years since they saw them and they haven't written much glanced up at Jack

"Wait, Jack you said that Adgar was looking somewhere near Liebo?" She asked curiously.

"Yeah." Jack said nodding his head.

"Uncle North and Aunt Tooth live in a village there." The young browned haired women said.

"They run a safari camp there and they hiked all over through the jungle. Maybe we can go to them and ask them for help."

It was hearing that very idea that Jack froze for but a moment. Thinking of Uncle North and Aunt Tooth drew some disturbance in the young man. It had been long since they last heard from them ever since their mom was divorced. They didn't really get back in contact with them. To his guess they were either busy with teaching the kinds of a village there or tending to tourists who were looking for a safari. Never the less, they were all absent since the day their family broke up.

"Well that's a splendid idea, Anna." Hans said.

Jack sighed quietly.

"Yeah." He said shaking his head a bit.

"Great."

"So it's settled." Hans said turning back to Jack, Kristoff and Tadashi.

Jack shrugged, seeing that they seemed to have it all covered.

"I suppose so."

"I'll begin making preparations." Hans said,

"I'll call you by Tuesday. By then I should have everything in order and a flight to Africa arranged. It should give you a chance to prepare."

As Hans began making his way to the door, Jack turned to Kristoff and Tadashi. Both of them gazed back at them before turning to Anna. It would seem now they were truly following through with finding the herb whom Adgar had searched for in his passed time. A path that seemed very worthwhile, however one that the four friends now knew would not be easy at that.

**(I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter. I'm sorry for it being so long but been having a hard time writing lately so couldn't exactly turn out much. I'm hoping I didn't disappoint with this chapter, we are getting close to the point you've all been waiting for so just a few more chapters to go. And as always, please comment and review!)**


	37. Chapter 37

The four friends were cursing through the city of San-Francisco after an hour or so from leaving the main building of S.I.I. Jack sat right next to the right side door holding the folder in his hands. It was at this timed that the journey they agreed to follow was now at the moment they thought would be hard to achieve. With Hans now assisting them, everything was falling into place. The barrier they had encountered, that being the high finances they faced with travelling to Africa was no longer a major concern.

"Well there goes an entire year of classes." Kristoff said.

"I can't believe we're actually going through with this."

Jack gazed up to Kristoff sternly. He remembered that they all made a pat that they were apart of this and a particular hand was in the ring along with his.

"That's funny." He said.

"I seem to remember that you were in along with the rest of us."

"Yeah." Kristoff said.

"But I didn't exactly sign up for spending an entire year in the Congo looking for a plant."

"Would it kill you to not exaggerate, Kristoff?" Jack asked curiously.

"In this case, yes." The blond haired man answered.

"Jack do you have any idea what we might be getting into?"

The white haired man nodded his head.

"Yeah, I do."

Kristoff shook his head in disbelief. There was no way on earth that he would think that way after learning all that they had at this point. This herb was going to be the equivalent of following a ghost. There was a high chance against the one that they were all hoping to get out of.

"Really?" Kristoff said.

"Cause I'm pretty sure if you did, you would know just how crazy this is. You out of all of us should know, you read the journal entries."

"Yeah and from what I read I know for a fact this isn't just a make-belief thing." Jack insisted.

"Kristoff come on. We all know this is something the world needs."

The young blond haired man groaned and sighed.

"God dammit." He said.

"Your really going there aren't you?"

Jack and Anna each just stared to him sternly. This wasn't an excuse this was a real considerate reason to following along with this. People out there in the world are sick and are in need of medicine and this was a wide open door for them.

Anna shrugged Kristoff in the shoulder,

"Ow ." he said, rubbing his shoulder.

He gazed to Anna who stared in anger to him.

"Alright, alright, fine." he spat out.

Anna smiled at the fact he now changed his mind.

"But I still think it's crazy."

Jack sighed and nodded his head with very same old Kristoff that he had come to know, at least now a days anyway.

"So what are we going to do now?" Tadashi asked, curious of their next actions.

From what Hans had told them, he would have everything arranged by Tuesday which included the flight there. That gave them about two days to prepare themselves for the lush climate of the Congo.

"Well, we have until Tuesday." Jack said.

"So we can easily get packed, cancel our classes and still have the rest of the time to ourselves."

"We should also try and get a hold of Uncle North."Anna suggested.

Jack sighed and nodded his head in agreement, sitting back in his seat.

"Yeah... that too." he said.

When Anna turned to her brother, she saw Jack seem to look very disquieted and stern when mention of Uncle North and Aunt Tooth. It wasn't much of a surprise after all. Ever since they moved to San-Francisco they haven't been in much contact with them or even there when the family were going through tough times. To Jack, they became the furthest thing from his mind since then. Anna frowned and narrowed her eyes.

"So you really have an Aunt and Uncle in Africa?" Kristoff asked curiously.

Anna turned to him.

"Yeah." Anna said.

"They're both Safari guides and they teach at a school in a village near their camp. It's going to be so nice to see them again. We haven't seen the in like forever."

"Define forever? Tadashi asked.

"Oh, well about since the last time we visited them." Anna said.

"And that was...?" Kristoff asked.

"Well about when I was five and Jack was seven."

"You haven't seen them for fourteen years?" Tadashi asked.

"No." Anna said, shaking her head a bit.

"And the last time we saw them we didn't exactly stay long."

Anna glanced toward Jack's direction, looking at him with a smirk and a raised eye brow. Jack gave a slight chuckle as he thought back to the trip they had long ago. It was quite the trip to be on. Though it lasted only half a week before having to be moved back home because of his broken leg. However there was much to come from that place

"That was some trip." He admitted.

"Too bad it didn't exactly last that long."

Anna looked at he older brother so amused.

"What happened?" Tadashi asked looking forward to Anna.

"Uh... nothing." Jack said, dismissing the event.

Anna only chuckled at his answer. What happened that night, nothing wasn't the exact word to describe it.

"Uh, I don't think so, Jack." Anna said, smiling.

"Something did happen which got me and you sent home. Remember..?"

Kristoff and Tadashi each looked to Jack in temptation to hear. Jack sighed and shook his head. He had very little interest in telling them what happened that day. But he knew very well his two long known friends would only try and squeeze it out of him. If he was to save himself the trouble

"I- ended up spending a night in the jungle." Jack said.

Jack's two best friends glanced at him in shock.

"In the rain. With a busted leg to add to my misery."

"You spent a night in the jungle with a broken leg?" Kristoff spat out in shock.

The white haired man shook his head yes.

"And you were alone?" Tadashi added.

Before Jack went to answer, he was suddenly stood in silence for but a moment. As he continued to draw back memories of what happened he suddenly remembered that her wasn't alone at the time. There was someone there with him. Someone he hadn't seen or thought of in a long time. That girl in the jungle who helped him when he shattered his leg and who helped him get back to Anna, Uncle North and Aunt Tooth.

"No..." Jack finally answered.

"I wasn't alone."

His younger sister and friends each stared curiously to him. Anna being the most out of all of them. Uncle North had said that there wasn't anyone else deep in that jungle but them. If he did he must of been with one of the villagers but uncle North came back with only him, no one else.

"But... Uncle North said he found you alone in the jungle." Anna said.

"He didn't see anyone with you."

"Before that, Anna." Jack said.

"I was with someone out in the jungle... a..."

"A what?" Anna questioned.

"Well... there was... this.. girl." Jack tried to explained.

By mention of girl, Anna Kristoff and Tadashi turned to Jack curiously.

"Out in the jungle..."

As the young man gazed out upon the faces. The expressions that were written on their faces were all of utter disbelief to what he said and also for a moment without any words to say. Kristoff eyes shifted to Tadashi for a moment before returning to Jack.

"A... girl?" Kristoff said.

"Yeah." Jack answered.

"You saw a girl... in the jungle?" Kristoff said, gathering all the facts together.

"Yeah." Jack answered.

Through further pondering, the moment he had with the girl. He could recall that they were talking under that tree, he was asking her for her name. There was a small trace of the answer he was thinking of. He remembered the girl did have trouble speaking to him, but he did recall her saying her name. It began with an E followed of which by an L. As he continued to try and remember the rest of her name, he then remembered the girl very voice say...

"Elsa."

Jack was for a moment still as he finally recalled the jungle girl he met long ago. He couldn't believe how he could have forgotten about her for so long. But after so much that had happened and his family facing a time of divorce it was hard for him to keep her in mind. As he then gazed about the small room of the car, he caught sight of his sister and two friends paused and gazing toward him.

"Elsa?" Tadashi said, noticing the word he had said.

"That was her name."

What followed was a moment of silence. Just by looking to Kristoff or Tadashi he could see their To Jacks guess he could see that they all probably think he's crazy. Not surprising really. I mean who would really believe anything like that?

"Okay..." Kristoff said nodded his head.

"Um... well. That's uh.. very... interesting, Jack."

Jack response was but a very expression of stern and a shook of his head. He was curious of himself as to why he bothered to tell them at all. Who would believe that there was a girl in the jungle? It was all just a complete work of fiction. However how could it? He knew what he saw last night and he knew very well the girl he saw was indeed there. Jack sat and continued to ponder to himself of that night and the girl he met. If it hadn't been for her he would have been hunted by the leopard that passed by the camp. How could she just be a figment of his imagination?

* * *

It was a while afterwords, Jack remained silent through the rest of the trip home. The car was already cursing through their neighbourhood The driver pulled up in front of Jacks house. Once the vehicle was settled before the side walk, the back doors opened as Jack, Anna Kristoff and Tadashi each stepped out of the car. Jack walked over to the front passenger seat and gazed in through the window.

"Thanks." He said raising his hand to him.

The driver waved his hand back to him.

"Take care."

As Jack turned away from the car, the driver shifted the vehicle into drive and pulled back into the street. The young white haired man walked up to his two friends and youngest sister.

"You guys wanna come in for a bit?" Jack offered.

"Have a drink or a bite to eat?"

Tadashi and Kristoff looked to one another. Neither of them were of the offer of welcoming. With only three days before the trip, their main concern at the moment was packing and to inform their family they will be gone a while. There was so much to get in order with very little time at that.

"Actually, I'm gonna have to pass." Tadashi said, looking to Jack.

"I should get home and probably tell Aunt Cass about our trip. You know how she gets when she's worried."

Jack smirked and shook his head. he was quite aware of his Aunt's concern. His already seen enough of it to actually believe it.

"Yeah, me too." Kristoff said in agreement.

"I should tell my parents about this too."

"No sweat, guys." Jack said.

"I understand. Some other time?"

The two only shrugged in response.

"Yeah, Alright." Kristoff said.

"See ya."

Kritoff turned around and began walking over to the house next door. Tadashi walk passed Jack the other way to where he parked his scooter in front of Jack's blue jeep. It was after their departure that the young white haired man turned to Anna.

"We should probably do the same." He suggested, knowing it was a good idea.

* * *

Walking through the now open front door, Jack came into the house and slipped off his shoes. Anna came in afterwords and turned to closed the front door. She then turned back and followed Jack into the living room. She gazed all around for any sight of their sibling or parents. However the house appeared to be empty.

"Doesn't look like anyone's home." She said looking forward to Jack.

The young white haired man sighed and shook his head. He really wanted for them to be here at the moment so he could tell them of their trip to Africa. He knew that they probably not be so accepting to it after all. I mean going to Africa for a plant that grows very rarely in the Congo. Why would they agree to to let them go after that?

"They're probably just out somewhere." Jack said.

"Maybe they might be coming back soon."

"Hopefully." Anna said.

"So how exactly are we going to tell them about this?"

Jack only shrugged in confusion. Anyway they did they may only get the same response as the other.

"I don't know." He said, shaking his head.

Jack then turned and gazed down the hallway just Passed the kitchen. The basement door was implanted upon the left wall right beside the stairs. It was a very much the first place for them to look. All of their begs and other few things for their trip to Africa were kept down there.

"We should probably head down to the basement and get our bags from the storage room." Jack said turning to Anna.

He began making his way down to the basement door with Anna following him from behind. As she followed something leaked in her mind that was from the discussion they had back in the car. The one of which resolved around the girl who Jack said he had met in the jungle during their previous visit there when they were young.

"Hey Jack?" Anna said curiously.

The young man who came faced with the door turned to Anna.

"What is it?"

"Well could I ask you something?" She said curiously.

"About what?" Jack asked again.

"Well, about that girl you said you saw in the jungle."

The questioned caused much derailing for Jack as he sighed and turned toward the basement door. He reached down and turned the rounded shape handle, opening the door and beginning to make his way down the stairs.

"I mean... You said you saw a girl... You know... In the jungle." Anna continued as she followed him.

"To be honest.' Jack said as he climbed down the steps.

"I really don't know what the heck I saw that day."

As he came to the bottom step he turned right passed the laundry machines and walked up to racks with bags, roller skates, spots equipment and boxes filled with either old toys or clothes.

"Besides there's no way that could even be possible. I mean I saw a girl running around the jungle in a loincloth. Who would even believe that?"

"I would." Anna said.

Jack sighed as he turned around to face Anna. He himself wanted to believe exactly what he saw that day. He knew it was to be true. If it hadn't he wouldn't be running through the jungle following her. But how could it even be real? He knew nothing like this could ever be possible. But yet he couldn't exactly say for sure. There was but so little time he had to see her before Uncle North started to shoot at her and her lioness mother.

"Anna, look." He said.

"I'm not going to deny what it was that I saw okay. I know what I saw and I'm sure that there maybe is a wild girl who swings on vines and talks to animals. But this whole jungle girl thing isn't really our concern right now. We need to focus on this herb and getting packed for that matter"

The young white haired man turned back to the shelves and look at the very high point. There he saw his blue beg along with Anna's pink beg side by side at the very top shelf above. He walked up closer and reached up high to the two begs. He pulled off Anna's first just before his.

"Here." He said, handing her beg to her.

"Leads head up and get packed."

Anna took her beg and turned back to the stairway up. Jack draped his beg strap over his shoulder and then began making his own way to the stairs.

**(I hope you enjoyed this chapter, I really appreciate hearing what your thoughts are and what instructive criticism you provide.) **


	38. Chapter 38

It was a quarter to six and the house still in a silent state. The rest of the family had yet to come home and the more time that passed by without their presence. All the while the two siblings remained in their room for the past hour packing their begs for the trip to Africa. Jack's beg set upon his beg was stocked full of clothing suited for the tropical weather of the Congo. Jack pulled open his top dresser where he found several T-shirts folded over top four others in a row of five. He pulled out two atop one pile and moved back to his beg where he set them in the open square shaped hole which revealed the black inside.

"Hey, Jack!" Anna called from across the hall.

The young man turned to his open doorway to see Anna appearing with two shirts that hung from a coat hanger. One was a short sleeve with the colour of light blue was the other had longer sleeves with the colour pink.

"Which shirt do you think is better?" She asked curiously,

"The Blue or the pink?"

The question caused her older brother to sigh and shake his head. This wasn't a vacation to Mexico or the Caribbean; this was the Congo they were going to, the African jungle of all places. The clothes that she was showing him were not exactly fit for exploring the jungle.

"Anna, we are going to the Congo." Jack reminded.

"This isn't exactly a trip for any fashion. Just pick out whatever you have that will be fit for the weather there, Okay?"

"Okay, okay." Anna said as she went back into the hallway.

It was just then they heard the front door down below be unlocked. They both turned and gazed down the hall as they heard the door opened and footsteps followed along with it.

"Hello!" Their mother called out.

"Jack, Anna?"

The light browned haired young women turned to her brother.

"Oh, boy." She said, knowing what this meant.

Jack sighed and shook his head. It was the time that he really dreaded but knew well would come sooner or later. He set down the shirts he was holding in his hands and walked around the bed and out into the hallway passed Anna. He made his way down the stairs where he was met with his mom, Jamie and Riley coming home.

"Hey, guys." Jack said walking down the last few steps.

"Hey Jack!" Jamie said.

It was then Bill came in, holding three pizza boxes in his arms as he made his way to the kitchen.

"Hope you don't mind but we went out and got some dinner." Jill explained.

"No that's alright." Jack insisted.

"Is Anna here?" Jill asked curiously.

"Yeah, she's just upstairs."

As Jill, Jamie and Riley passed by into the kitchen, Jack looked back up the stairway where he saw Anna standing just a few steps below the top. She looked back at him with a very nervous look on her face. He could tell just like him that she was unease as much as him about telling their parents of the trip. But she knew they had to go through it.

Jack took one breath in before he walked into the kitchen. Bill flipped open one of the pizza boxes which contained a round pepperoni pizza. He took hold of one of crusted ends of a slice and pulled it up out of the box and set it on a plate. He turned to Jack who came around the corner of the Colbert.

"You want a slice, Jack?" asked Bill handing him the plate.

"Sure." Jack said as he took the plate from him.

His blue eyes narrowed as he tried to gather his words together to speak what dwelled in his mind. The expression upon his face had not gone unnoticed by his mother, who looked across to him.

"Jack are you okay?" Jill asked.

The young man gazed upward to his mother. It was now or never. It was never that was not the path he wanted to go down. Before he spoke he turned back for a quick second to see Anna standing behind him. She shook her head to him encouraging for him to tell them. He finally steered up enough courage before he finally spoke up.

"There's something that me and Anna need to tell you guys." Jack said.

Jill and Bill turned to each other for a moment before they looked back to Jack. Both of them were curious as to what they had to say.

"Okay, what is it, Jack." Bill said placing his hand on his side.

"Well..." Jack said as he rubbed the back of his head.

"Me, Anna, Tadashi and Kristoff are going to be... out of town for a while."

Jacks words did not go unnoticed by Jamie and Riley who at the table together. They both turned back to their eldest brother, filled with excitement and an ambition to hear more.

"Oh well that's fine, Jack." said Jill.

"Where are you four off to?"

"You're going on a trip?" Jamie asked.

"Can we go, too?"

Jack turned to his younger brother.

"This isn't the type of trip for you, Jamie." Jack answered, feeling a dread for having to refuse his request.

"Not where we are going."

"Where are guys going?" Bill asked.

Jack gave another release of his breath before giving his answer.

"We're going to Africa."

Hearing Jack's answer to where they were going, the two parents figured stared curiously and very shocked. The most feeling that way between the two being on the part of Jill. She had never been so open to her kids traveling to the African continent, not since the last trip they took there.

"Africa?!" Bill said.

The two siblings nodded their heads yes. Their mother and step father gazed to each other as they pondered more of the details that they were told. None of it was very persuasive to them. Even hearing that they were going near family was not enough.

"What for?" Bill said.

"Well, it's kind of a science expedition." Jack explained.

"We're looking for this herb an old professor of the university was studying. We're actually goanna help someone from S.I.I try and finish it."

"It's a medicene." Anna insisted.

"Jack, we loved to help you but we couldn't afford that." Jill said.

"Don't worry about it, mom." Anna said, stepping into the conversation.

"Hans has our trip covered. You guys don't need to spend anything on us."

Money wasn't the major concern to Jill. She was concerned more for the lives of her eldest children for she knew how dangerous Africa was, that much included the Congo. The jungle was just full of predatory animals and there was so many ways to get lost. Who knew what would happen out there to them.

"I- I don't know." Jill said, confused as to how she should respond to this.

Just as he gazed upon her expression, Jack saw much grief and concern she appeared. He knew just what to expect from her part. Even after the trip they had long ago, she really didn't think of it as a place for them. Even at this older age they are. Her eldest son came forward to his mother.

"Mom." he said.

Jill gazed up to her son.

"I know that this sounds... very concerning." Jack said.

"And you have every right to think that way. But trust me; we wouldn't be doing it if it wasn't for a good reason."

"This herb is a medicine." Anna joined in.

"It can help people who are sick or hurt."

"I know it seems far fetch to believe but we are telling you the truth. This herb can save lives."

Jill lowered her head as she thought more of this. It did sound promising from what she was told, but it still wasn't enough to convince her.

"Mom, this my chance... no scratch that, our chance to give something back to the world, give our family the life we deserve."

His mother stared up at him with a mixture of sadness and pride. She admired all that Jack was trying to do and really appreciated it beyond anything else. His heart was always in the right place where it should always be. But there wasn't any need for him to do such a thing like this.

"Jack, I think it's great what you are doing." She said.

"But you don't need to prove anything or give the world anything."

Jack shook his head to her, knowing that she was of the wrong mindset. This wasn't at all about trying to prove himself to anyone. This was all about trying to bring to life someone's work that never got the chance to do it themselves. Something they had great faith in and what really could help others in their time of need.

"No, no, mom." Jack said.

"This isn't about proving anything. It's not about any of that. It's well..."

Jack turned and set his plate the Colbert. He first took a second to drawn in all of what he wanted to say. He remembered all his life she told him he was going to do big things and he would be a man unlike any other. If anything, his mother's words were more empowering to him than anything. While not for proof to anyone, it was a want to bring hope for people in need of it. His mother had always told him things like this and still he wished to be seen the way. She always told him to do the right thing and this was truly the right thing to do.

He turned back to face her before finally speaking up.

"Mom." He said.

"All my life you've always told me that I was something worth having, that I was someone who was going to do big things. That's why I am going through with this, because I am that man you've always wanted me to be."

As she listened Jill felt very much moved and her own heart fill with such pride. She could feel her tears of joy just seeing how much of an impact she had on her own children. How much she had encouraged them so much to this point in life.

"You'll see." Jack said.

"Me and Anna, we'll make you proud."

Their mother sobbed just as she lifted her head upward to gaze up at her eldest son.

"You already have." She said, before turning to Anna.

"Both of you."

The young man came up and took his mother in her arms, holding her close to him.

* * *

It was late that night; the approximate time was eleven thirty. From the view provided by the window, the entire neighbourhood was engulfed in complete darkness of night. Everyone in the house had all gone to bed. That was all except for Jack was sitting on the couch; his back was pressed up back against the rich leather seat. Holding in his hands were some of the research he took out from the folder.

Reading it now at this moment in time, he felt very much excited to know how these written notes and tests made by Professor Adgar would soon become an actual medicine. All his hard work and time spent on it wouldn't all be for nothing. He took a breath in just as he set down the papers back in the open folder on the coffee table. There gazed to his opened laptop, which at the moment was trying to Skype his uncle. But so far there was no answer.

Jack sighed as he reached out and prompt his laptop screen down upon the keyboard.

He began to feel his tiredness and need for sleep begin to take over. He leaned his head back and rested it against the leather behind him. However his time of silence was soon cut short as he heard a voice call his name.

"Jack."

Jack leaned his head back up and turned in the direction of the voice. There at the top of the stairway, stood Jamie, dressed in his pyjamas.

"Jamie." He said leaning up off the couch.

"What are you doing up? It's almost midnight."

Jamie walked down the steps and came into the living room.

"Are you and Anna really leaving?" Jamie asked.

"Jamie." Jack said.

"Why do you have to go?" The young boy asked.

"Jamie, slow down." Jack said, seeing his young brother asked too quick then her could keep up.

"I'm sorry." Jamie said narrowing his eyes.

"I just... I don't want you to leave."

Jack lowered his head and sighed. He could see just how concerned his brother was appearing at the moment. It was very much a fitting reaction on his part, Jack really couldn't blame him for it. This wasn't a any trip that resembled a vacation to any foreign place. This was an expedition into the Congo which was a very high risk of danger.

"Yeah I have to, Jamie." Jack said.

The answer caused the boy narrowed his head downward.

"Hey, hey." Jack said as he kneel down to the boy, placing his hand firmly on his shoulders.

"It's only going to be for a few days. But after that we're coming right back."

Jamie gazed back up at his brother.

"But what if you don't?" He asked.

"I will." Jack insisted.

"I will be back. I promise."

His promise was still not enough to convince his brother. Peering at Jamie in this expression he showed him, this wasn't any state he wished to see his brother. He wanted to find someway he could remove the stress that was set upon his brother. Jack turned back toward the kitchen, it was at that moment he remembered something he would do long ago when he and Anna couldn't sleep.

"Hey come on." Jack said as he looked back down to Jamie.

"Wanna make some hot chocolate?"

Hearing Jack's offer, the young boy smiled through his ever growing excitement, gasping in awe.

"Yeah!" he said.

"Alright, come on." Jack said as he beam walked around toward the kitchen.

* * *

Jack was stirring a small tea spoon in a mug full of hot water, mixing in the chocolate inside. He turned and walked around back into the living room where Jamie was sitting on the couch. The boy held between his hand a warm mug of his own, taking a sip of the chocolate liquid inside. For a moment Jack stopped and gazed for a moment at his younger brother. Ever since Jamie came, it was as if life gave him something back from the hard times he endured. While it was true, they were only of half blood, Jack still say him as a full brother and never could have he ever asked for any other.

As he saw Jamie lower his cup, he saw hot chocolate above his top lip. Jack smirked and chuckled as he came around and sat beside his younger brother.

"Hows that?" Jack asked.

His younger brother smiled and nodded his head.

"It's good." Jamie said.

His answer caused his older brother to chuckled and smile.

"Well of course." Jack said, knowing for a fact that was true.

"Nothing like a taste of home."

The young man gazed down to the inside of his hug, staring blankly down at the dark brown leg chocolate. This was something he hadn't done for so long since he had come to live here in San-Francisco.

"You know when I was your age, me and Anna used to do this with mom." Jack said, turning to Jamie

"One time me and Anna tried to make hot chocolate on our ended up dropping the powder on the floor. We tried to get it cleaned up but we ended up making an even bigger mess."

Jack smiled and shook his head.

"Yeah." He said.

"Made so much noise we woke up mom and -"

It was at that moment, Jack stooped as he thought back to his father. He hadn't thought of him in a long time, though so much the better in his case.

"Dad?" Jamie asked.

Jack nodded his head.

"Yeah." Jack said.

"Found the whole kitchen, including us covered it hot chocolate powder. We had to take another bath that night to clean up."

Jamie smiled and chuckled. Along with him Jack did as well. He began to lay his back up against the couch as he finally caught his breath. He then turned his head down toward Jamie, who was looking back up him, smiling. He in turn did so back.

"You know..." Jack said as he drew his head up.

"While I'm gone, I'm gonna need you to look after Mom and the others. Think you can do it?"

Jamie gazed up to his older brother. A proud grin appeared on his face.

"Yeah." Jamie said.

Jack smiled with such pride to Jamie's promise.

"That's my little brother." He said.

He wrapped his left arm around his brother, bringing him into an arm hold. The two smiled and laughed along with each other, enjoying what was their final moment together.

**(One last chapter left till we are back in the jungle. I hope you enjoyed And as always please comment and review )**


	39. Chapter 39

The remaining days in San-Francisco passed by and the four friends had already finished with prepping for their expedition to the Congo. They had already cancelled their upcoming classes and already finished packing their luggage for the trip. Everything was in place just as the first day of their journey had finally arrived.

It was Tuesday sometime passed five O'clock; outside in the driveway of the house where Jack was carrying out his luggage as well as his sisters. He walked behind his jeep and set them in the back. It was earlier in the day when Jack had gotten a call from Hans; all the arrangements had been made. He had already hired some men for the expedition and the plane was already being prepped for flight. He said it would be ready by six O'clock that evening.

It was just then that Kristoff walk into sight from the left side of the vehicle, carrying with him his begs and backpack.

"Hey." He said as he dropped his bag off his shoulder.

"Got anymore room in there?"

"Yeah, come on." Jack said as he took one on his begs.

"Thanks." Kristoff said as he slid off his backpack.

Jack slid his bag right in through the open tailgate. Afterwards he pulled out his phone and turned on the screen, gazing down at the time at the very top. The current time it showed on his phone was 5:30.

"Tadashi better get here soon." He said before he slipped his phone back in his pocket.

"Jack relax." Kristoff insisted as he set his last beg in the back of the jeep.

"He said he'll be here soon."

"Our flights in half an hour." Jack said.

"If we're going to meet Hans at the air port. Hans might already be at the airport waiting for us."

At the very mention of Hans, Kristoff gave out a small groan of anguish. He leaned up against Jack's blue jeep. Jack turned to his friend and noticed his friends bothering expression written upon his face.

"You alright?" He asked curiously.

Kristoff sighed and shook his head.

"Not really, no." Kristoff answered, shaking his head.

"Look, could we talk?"

Jack shrugged and shook his head yes.

"Sure, what is it?"

There came another sigh from Kristoff and leaned off his jeep. He bowed his head forward to the ground and took hold of both his sides. For a few seconds he took his time to find the words to say. He understood that Hans was a vital help to their expedition. If it wasn't for him this whole thing wouldn't be possible. But he still felt that there was something off about him. He didn't know for certain but there were so many questions he had that follow along with it.

"Look." He said, finally taking his chance to talk.

"This Hans guy... I'm not so sure about him."

Jack stared toward his friend with a look of disbelief. He smirked and shook his head, knowing very well as to what this was about. The reason he had little trust in Hans. He always knew that Anna was always the one he looked to in a light other then friendship. A trait he's known since the sixth grade and beyond that time. He never did have the courage to ever ask her out, something he's suffered for many times as he's seen her go out with other men. Now it seems she's gone out with a man which unimaginable wealth. Something he may not be able to compete with.

"This is about him dating Anna?" Jack asked.

The very question caused Jack to push off from the jeep, rolling his eyes in utter annoyance.

"No!" Kristoff said shaking his head.

"It has nothing to do with that!"

"Then what is it?" Jack asked curiously.

"It's just strange." Kristoff explained.

"I mean why would Hans, a CEO of S.I.I want to help us?"

Jack only shrugged in response.

"Maybe they see the opportunities it provides for their company." Jack theorised, knowing that any company with a cure that may be the answer to known diseases.

"They pretty much discovered the cure for cancer because of us. Do you have any idea how much hope this would bring people."

"Yeah but... something is off." Kristoff said.

"I mean, wasn't Hans's father a friend of Adgar?"

Jack nodded his head yes. He knew that to be certain, he, Adgar, McCoy and Callaghan were all colleges in the same school and knew each other for a long time.

"Yeah?" he said.

"So why didn't Adgar's research get handed off to him instead of McCoy? In fact, why didn't Adgar go to him for help on continuing his research? I mean he does have all the equipment and the top minds to help him."

The question did leave Jack speechless and above all confused. Kristoff did make a very valid point. Why didn't Adgar just go to Mr. Fortrume for help with his research? And why wasn't it given to him in the first place? Perhaps this was when he would finally take the chance that he had missed before. To help bring together a legacy for his long lost friend.

Just then there was a honking sound from the street. Jack was immediately snapped back into reality and looked around the right corner of his jeep. There he and Kristoff then saw a pick-up truck pulled off in front of his house.

"Looks like Tadashi's here." Jack said as he walked around and made his way down toward the old pick-up truck.

As he walked down to the truck, Tadashi got out from the side facing out to the street. His aunt opened the drivers side door and stept out of the truck, turning to the back to held her nephew.

"Aunt Cass, it's alright." He reassured her as he pulled his beg strap over his shoulder.

"I got it."

"It's about time you got here."

The two gazed back and saw Jack and Kristoff, walking up to them.

"Sorry, guys." Tadashi said.

"We had to wait for Hiro. He was right in the middle of testing his micobots."

The two looked toward the front of the truck, where Hiro was peaking out through the opened window. Around his head was the transmitter used to control the countless specks of robotics.

"Hey guys." he said waving to them.

Jack smirked and raised his hand back to him.

"Nice head band, Hiro." he said, pointing just above his head.

Hiro eyes rolled up and saw he still was wearing his transmitter.

"What!" He gasped as he took hold and pulled it off his head.

He looked leftward to his older brother, glaring to him for his ignorance of not noticing he still wore his transmitter. Tadashi in return only smirked and shrugged. He couldn't help but not tell him he forgot just for the thrill of it. The expression alone was more then satisfying for him to see.

"Well, it does look good on you bro." Tadashi said as he walked up beside Jack and Kristoff.

Hiro simply rolled his eyes and turned to look the other direction. Just at the back of the truck, Tadashi's Aunt Cass pull out another bag. She turned to the three, gripping his nephews bag tightly.

"Oh I'm so excited." She said.

"I'm so proud of you four."

"Thank you, Miss Hamada." Jack said, rubbing the back of his head.

"Right when you three get back, dinner party at my cafe to celebrate. I'll make my famous hot wings!"

The three friends looked to one another, smiling proudly. The dinner party she planned to have sounded very much like a very satisfying celebration when They were looking on coming back with a high hope of success and a new medicine to go along with it. However by mention of hot wings Kristoff felt very much hesitant by the how spicy they are.

"That... sounds great." Kristoff said, smiling very falsely.

Tadashi came up and took his beg.

"Thanks, Aunt Cass." he said as he came in and gave his aunt a hug.

"Your welcome." she said as she held on to him.

"Just make sure you come back safe."

Tadashi chuckled as he departed from her.

"Yeah, I will." The young Asian man reassured.

"Please remember to call me every day. Every day!"

"I promise." he said before turning away.

"Hey take your bags and put them in the back of my jeep." Jack said pointing to his blue jeep.

"I just have to get my camera and then we have to get going. Hans might already be there waiting for us."

"Thanks." Tadashi said as he began making his way up to the jeep.

Just as Jack and Tadashi walked away, Kristoff turned to Hiro.

"Hey Hiro." He said causing the young thirteen year old to turn to him.

"I don't suppose I can ask you a favour."

* * *

Jack walked in through the open door of his room and came up to his desk, where his Rebel camera was place along with its beg. He took his camera and set it through the opened hole at the top of his bag, after of which he placed the lid over top and zipped it up.

There then came a knocking on his door behind him. Jack turned to his opened bedroom door to see Anna standing just outside, dressed in a par of short jeans and a button shirt over top of a light blue T-shirt.

"Hey, you ready?" Anna asked.

Jack pulled his beg over his shoulder.

"Yeah, let's go." he said.

The young white haired man walked out from his room and pulled his door close. Afterwords he turned and followed Anna down the hallway. When they got down the stairway into the front room.

"You guys are leaving already?" Jill said.

The turned turned toward the kitchen where they saw their mother along with her two siblings.

"Yeah." Jack said.

"I told Hans we meet him at the airport at six."

Jill, Jamie and Riley each came up up to the two. Just as the two looked upon the expression she had was a mixture. That of concern while also of joy for having such courage to go through with something like this. Before speaking to her first two son and daughter she took a breath in and finally released with without a sound to be heard.

"Well, I hope you two find what your looking for." Jill said.

Both Jack and Anna peered to one another. They were hoping just as much as their mother they would. The proof of it's existence was already proven to be true. However it was now a matter of finding just one of the few if they were out there to be found.

"We do too, mom." Jack said, turning to her.

"And we will."

Their mother smiled back to Jack. She was sure that they would make her proud. However still there was the exception of the danger the jungle presented. Her one hope was that they would come home safe and unharmed.

"Just... You four be safe." Jill said.

"And be sure to call us as soon as the plane lands."

Jack nodded his head to her, promising her to do the deed she wished from him.

"I got it, Mom." Jack reassured her.

Just after hearing his promise, Jill cam up and placed a soft kiss upon his cheek and followed by taking him inter her arms.

"I love you." She said.

"I love you, too mom." He said just before departing from her.

Just as she turned to Anna and gave her a hug, Jack gazed down to Jamie and Riley, both looking the same way as mom did. Jack kneeled down to his younger sister, placing her hand on her shoulder.

"Hey, Riley." He said to her.

"You be good while we're gone, alright?"

"Okay." she responded.

"And make sure you play hard on your upcoming games. I want to hear you make lots of goals."

Riley smiled back at her eldest brother.

"You bet, Jack." She said, nodding her head.

After of which, Jack turned to Jamie who stood at his left.

"Hey, Jamie." He said.

"You remember your promise?"

The browned haired boy nodded his head to his older brother. The promise being the only thing he though of in these passed few days.

"You look after the family." Jack said taking hold of his shoulder.

"Keep everyone safe, I'm counting on you."

"I will, Jack." He said out of his determination.

Hearing it and seeing it in his young brown eyes, he knew very well Jamie would make him proud.

"Make me proud, little bro." Jack said

It was then that he brought both his brother and sister in, pressing them both against his chest.

* * *

From the front door of the house, Jack walked out on the front porch carrying his camera bag over his right shoulder. He turned back to the open door where he saw his mother along with his younger brother and sister watching from the doorway.

"Bye, Jack," Jamie said as he and Riley waved goodbye to him.

Jack smiled and waved back to them.

"Don't worry. Nothing bad is going to happen."

It was just then that he heard the honking of his jeep from the driveway. Jack shifted his gazed from his family toward his vehicle and saw Kristoff who reached in through the opened window of the drivers door and honked the horn.

"Jack, come on." He called.

"We're coming!" He said putting his hand up to them.

He looked back to his mother and siblings one last time.

"We'll be back as soon as we can."

It was then Jack turned and walked down the patio steps before he turned and walked toward his jeep. Jill, Jamie and Riley stood there in the open door way and watched the departure of the four friends. Each of them were filled with support to them and hoped that they would find what it was that they were looking for. However it was no without concern as they hoped for them to return safely.

Jack came up and opened the driver side door before he was stopped by Anna who tugged on his shoulder.

"Hey, wait guys." she said.

Jack turned to her along with Kristoff and Tadashi.

"What?" he asked.

"We should take a group photo before we go." Anna suggested as she pulled her phone out.

She turned back toward the house front door.

"Hey mom." she called.

"Can you help take a picture?"

Jill walked down the few patio steps and came up toward the four friends.

"Anna, we don't really have much time." Jack said.

"It's alright, Jack." Anna said.

"This won't even take a second."

Anna turned to her mother and after turning it to camera mode before handing it to her. Jill too a step back, holding her daughters phone by the top and bottom edges. She held it up toward the four friends.

"Come on, guys." Anna said, as she back away to her brothers side.

She wrapped her arm around his brothers and Kristoffs shoulder. Tadashi stood right beside Kristoff and put his arm around his shoulder.

"Alright, Everyone." Jill said.

"Smile."

The three stood smiling toward the phone aiming it's camera lens toward them. Jill then dressed the middle white button, followed in suit was the sound of a picture being taken. As she gazed atop the screen, she smiled. Anna came up and peered around the corner at the picture they got.

"Alright." she said, as she took her phone back.

It was just then Jack felt a vibration in his pocket. He gazed down and reached in, pulling out his phone he gazed to the lit screen where he saw a text message from Hans.

"The planes ready. Wait for you at the airport."

"What is it?" Kristoff asked, looking to him

"Hans is at the airport." Jack said as he slides his phone back into his pocket.

"We gotta get going."

He gazed up to Anna.

"Anna, come on." he said, just before he turned back to his jeep.

His younger sister gazed up to her older brother.

"Oh, coming." She said.

She first turned to her mother and took back her phone.

"Thanks mom." She said, placing a kiss on her cheek.

Afterwards she turned and quickly ran around to the passenger seat. Jack got into the drivers side and pulled out his keys from his pocket. Just as Anna got it and settled in her seat, Jack plugged in the jeep key and started the engine. He then turned to his younger sister and his two friends. They each looked to him with the same thing in mind as he.

"This is it." Jack said.

"Moment we're all been waiting for."

"You think its gonna be worth it?" Kristoff asked.

Jack turned forward toward the windshield, shifting his jeep into drive.

"Let's find out." He said just before he drove forward into the street.

Jack turned to the side door mirror which showed his mother and two younger sibling waving goodbye to them. He gave a small brief sigh just as gave a smirk. He had high hopes of this journey. This was all going to lead up to a great start. When they got back, everything was going to be different and a new life awaited just ahead of them.

**(That concludes Adgars research. Next story entry in this series we are heading back into the jungle. The moment you've all be waiting for is well on it's way. However for a while, I'm just going to work on some of my other stories as well as another side story involving Bagheera. I look forward to getting started soon. Till then, please comment and review)**


	40. Author note

Hey guys, M.B. Carver here and I know that I've been gone a long while since I've made the last chapter. I'm sure you've all been wondering why i've been gone for so long and why I haven't put up another chapter. To any who is concerned by this, no I am not giving up on this series. Why it's taking so long is because I'm kind of at the point where I'm not on my top game in writing. What I mean is that I'm kind of low on ideas and Self-confidence, so it's been hard for me to write for any of my stories. Not to mention, I have finals coming up and I'll be focusing on the two that I have. So I decided that I'll be taking a break from writing until january next year. I know that it's not what you want to hear guys, but I just need some time to myself for awhile. So I wanna thank you guys for your support and wish you a merry christmas and a happy new year!:)


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